§ Mr. Ancramasked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will make a statement on the average waiting period for the 202 adult patients waiting for cardiac surgery in the Royal infirmary, Edinburgh, referred to in his letter of 11 November to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, South;
(2) if he will make a statement on the average waiting period for those adults in Scotland in need of cardiac surgery.
§ Mr. Allan StewartThe average waiting period for adult patients awaiting cardiac surgery in Scotland as a whole is 15 weeks; and for adult patients awaiting cardiac surgery in the Royal infirmary, Edinburgh it is 17 weeks. Emergency cases are of course dealt with immediately.