§ Mr. Chichester-Clarkasked the Minister of Health (1) why he was unable to supply information regarding tendering of building work by regional hospital boards to the Economic Development Committee for Building during the compilation of its survey of Action on the Banwell Report, when similar information was made available by other Departments of State; and what action he has taken to improve his statistical services in this regard;
(2) whether he will set out in tabular form the statistics regarding tendering for building work requested by the Economic Development Committee for Building which he was unable to give in advance of the publication of its Survey of Action on the Banwell Report along the lines set out in table two of this report.
§ Mr. K. RobinsonTabulations in the form initially requested by the Economic Development Committee for Build-6W ing were not available centrally and could not then, and cannot now, be produced without unwarranted diversion of resources from other tasks. The Committee were accordingly provided with, and accepted, information in a different form. I do not agree that the inquiry established a need to alter the form of the statistical information available. It is not apparent from the publication "Action on the Banwell Report" that in general most other Departments consulted were able to supply comprehensive analyses from central records.