§ Mr. MorganTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give the cost to public funds of the latest publication of the patients charter. [17585]
§ Mr. HagueThe cost of publishing the 1996 edition of the patients charter was £32,370—equivalent to about 13p per copy.
§ Mr. MorganTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to the guarantees contained in the new patients charter for Wales booklet, if he will specify the circumstances in which exceptions to the six months maximum waiting time will not be regarded as breaches of the patients charter. [17586]
§ Mr. HagueThe six month target for a first out-patient appointment is a standard and not a guarantee. It forms part of a total waiting time guarantee covering the period between GP referral to hospital and admission for treatment. The circumstances under which a waiting time in excess of the guarantees would not count as a breach are described in "Total Waiting Times: Operational Guidance", a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.