§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Wolverhampton, North-East on 18 February, if he has yet reached a decision on whether to introduce a charge to cover the Blood Transfusion Service's handling and processing costs of supplying blood to private hospitals and clinics.
§ Dr. VaughanI am still considering this complex and sensitive question.
§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services under what conditions the National Health Service supplies blood for transfusion purposes to private health institutions; and whether private health institutions have any source of blood for transfusions other than the National Health Service.
§ Dr. VaughanA small proportion of the blood donated to the National Blood Tranfusion Service is made available without charge to private hospitals and clinics, on the understanding that no profit will be made from it. The only other major source of blood is the Greater London Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service's panel of voluntary donors.