§ Sir John GorstTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what mechanism there is within her Department centrally to collate information regarding the number of hospitals and accident and emergency departments that have been closed;
(2) how many planned closures of accident and emergency units have been rejected by community health councils since 1991; and if she will list those that have subsequently not been put into effect;
(3) how many hospital closures in England have taken place following objection to a proposed closure from a community health council since January 1993;
(4) what information is provided to her Department by district health authorities, trusts, regional health authorities and the national health service executive on accident and emergency department closures;
(5) how many accident and emergency departments are currently threatened with closure;
(6) if she will list the hospitals or trusts in respect of which she has been formally consulted about partial or complete closure in the last two years.
§ Mr. SackvilleThe Department does not routinely collect information on hospital or accident and emergency department closures. Information is available centrally on proposals to close, or change the use of, health service facilities which are referred to Ministers for decision following objections from a community health council. A list of such proposed closures referred to Ministers in the period 1992–94 will be placed in the Library.