§ Mr. PickthallTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the figures for donations of blood in the area covered by the Lancaster centre(a) in each of the two years before its closure and (b) in the period since its closure. [36058]
§ Mr. HoramDonations of blood in the area covered by the Lancaster centre in the periods covered by the question have been:
237W
1994 1995 1996 1st quarter 13,198 15,401 16,044 2nd quarter 13,928 14,964 14,004 3rd quarter 14,327 16,270 — 4th quarter 15,111 15,155 — Total 56,564 61,790 — The Lancaster centre remains open, both as a donor centre and as a blood bank. Only the bulk processing and testing work it previously undertook was transferred to other centres in March 1996. The figures above for the second quarter of 1996 relate to the period since that transfer took place.