§ Mr. David Priceasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he is satisfied that there is a sufficiency of beds in spinal units throughout England and that they are appropriately distributed between the regions;
(2) how many spinal units are being run currently in the National Health Service; if he will list each regional health authority which has such a spinal unit and those which have not; and if he will give the average waiting time for admission to a spinal unit by a patient in each health authority region;
(3) if he will list in the Official Report each spinal unit currently in use within the National Health Service stating the number of beds provided in each spinal unit and the average occupancy of each such unit.
Mr. Alfred Morris: The information is as follows:
I accept that there is an uneven geographical spread of spinal units in England and the establishment, of a new unit in the South is one of my Department's priorities. Plans are going ahead for a unit at Odstock Hospital in Salisbury.
363WInformation on waiting time is not available in standard form, but I shall write to the hon. Member giving such details as are available.