§ Mr. Goodladasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what has been the percentage increase or decrease in waiting lists for admission to hospitals in each health area in the North-West of England in each of the last four years;
Changes for earlier years are not compatible with these figures since they are based on hospital management committee boundaries which changed when the National Health Service was reorganised in 1974.
PERCENTAGE CHANGE COMPARED WITH PREVIOUS YEAR (INCREASE UNLESS OTHER WISE STATED) Area health authority 1975 1976 1977 Lancashire … … … … 13.8 6.2 2.3 Bolton … … … … 38.2 6.0 5.2 Bury … … … … 29.7 48.9 −26.9 Manchester … … … … 22.3 −6.2 6.9 Oldham … … … … 20.4 −0.9 −11.4 Rochdale … … … … 36.5 33.8 −8.8 Salford … … … … 16.7 0.2 −5.6 Stockport … … … … −0.5 −21.0 −18.0 Tameside … … … … −3.5 −10.4 −36.5 Trafford … … … … 9.6 −8.8 9.3 Wigan … … … … −1.6 −1.1 −13.5 North-West region … … … … 13.7 −0.8 −3.4 England … … … … 13.7 3.2 −0.8