§ Mr. G. Jegerasked the Minister of Health (1) how many beds are available in Switzerland for British tubercular patients under the National Health Service; and how many of these have not been fully utilised during the past three years;
(2) what alterations he proposes in the number of tubercular patients being sent to Swiss sanatoria under the National Health Service.
§ Mr. Iain MacleodAll but three of the patients sent from England and Wales for treatment in Switzerland under the National Health Service had returned to this country by the end of September and, since the need to supplement our own resources in this way no longer exists, I do not propose to send any more. Beds occupied by our patients were short of the total for which we had contracted by on average, the following numbers:
Year ended 31st March, 1953 … 6 Year ended 31st March, 1954 … 2 Year ended 31st March, 1955 … 1 April-August, 1955 … 16 September, 1955 … about 35