§ Sir Knox Cunninghamasked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will state the number of beds in Service hospitals in the United Kingdom, the percentage of such beds occupied and unoccupied during the last convenient 12-month period, and the number of such beds which are made available to civilians through the regional boards of the National Health Service.
§ Mr. HattersleyThe basis on which these statistics are calculated was changed at the beginning of this year and the following figures are therefore related to the period 1st January to 31st August, 1969
Authorised beds in Service hospitals in the United Kingdom—3,108.Average daily bed occupancy rate (including N.H.S. patients)—68.5 per cent.At two R.A.F. hospitals a specific number of beds are made available to civilians through the Regional Hospital Boards. In other Service hospitals N.H.S. patients are accepted on a "fill-up" basis.