HC Deb 24 February 1999 vol 326 c354W
Mr. Maclean

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the 20 most prevalent chronic illnesses in terms of numbers of known sufferers. [72718]

Mr. Hutton

Hospital episode statistics record diagnostic information for those people admitted to hospital. Information is recorded using the international classification of diseases (ICD10). There is no category in this classification for "chronic illnesses".