§ Mr. Elystan Morganasked the Secretary of State for Wales how many hospital beds are available for National Health Service patients in Wales at the present moment; and how many there were in 1970.
§ Mr. Peter Thomas25,792 at 30th September 1972; 26,314 at 30th September 1970. The change arises from the increasing use of boarding-out schemes, homes and hostels for the mentally ill. The number of in-patients in National Health Service hospitals in Wales rose from 318,126 in the 12 months to September 1970, to 325,475 in the same period to September 1972.