§ Mr. Weitzmanasked the Minister of Health whether he has any recent information on the number of people on waiting lists of voluntary hospitals and municipal hospitals, respectively, in England and Wales and what these figures are, showing the number for London separately; and whether he has made any investigation into the problem of waiting lists during the last two years.
§ Mr. BevanI have no exact figures of hospital waiting lists and such figures would be apt to be misleading. I am aware of considerable waiting lists, particularly in the Metropolitan area and the South-Eastern part of England, mainly due to shortage of staff for available beds. All practicable steps are taken by my officers to reduce these lists by transfer to other hospitals where this is acceptable to the patient.