§ Mr. John Pageasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many kidney machines are at present being used outside hospitals in this country; how many patients are waiting for a kidney machine; how many renal transplants were carried out in the last 12 months; how many patients he estimates might benefit from a transplant if this operation was more easily available; how many centres carry out renal transplants; and whether these centres could carry out a higher number of transplants if suitable donors were available.
§ Mr. Alison:Information about the number of patients on or awaiting dialysis treatment is not available. The services for chronic renal failure continue to develop within available resources and, at 30th June, 1971, 560 patients were maintained on home dialysis and a further 431 treated in hospital. Some 200 renal transplants are carried out anually. Estimates of the number of patients who would benefit from a transplant would depend on judgments about the prefer-ability of transplant over dialysis, which can be made only by clinicians responsible for individual patients. Twelve major centres carry out renal transplants. Lack of donor kidneys is a major factor limiting the availability of renal trans- plantation.