§ Mr. Ernie Rossasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish the waiting lists for the following categories for Tayside health board and Scotland overall (a) general surgery, (b) orthopaedic surgery, (c) ophthalmology and (d) plastic surgery; and what are the comparable figures for May 1979.
§ Mr. John MacKayWaiting list figures are collected centrally at 31 March and 30 September each year. Figures for 31 March 1979 and 31 March 1981 (the latest date for which information is available) are as follows:
exgratia award to Mr. John Preece arising out of the eight and half years' imprisonment he served before the conviction was quashed by the High Court.
§ Mr. YoungerNo. As indicated in my letter to the right hon. Member, dated 5 July 1982 Mr. Preece received 587W an interim payment of £15,000 on 17 July 1981 based on an interim report by the assessor appointed by me. That payment was made, and accepted by Mr. Preece, on the basis of an express agreement by him that no further payment would be made unless and until he had signed a full discharge in respect of all or any claims by him arising out of the sentence of imprisonment imposed on him by the High Court in June 1973. In the light of a final report by the assessor Mr. Preece was offered an ex gratia payment of 07,000—that is a further £62,000—on 27 January 1982. Mr. Preece has had ample time to consider that offer and I am not prepared to make any further payment until he signifies his acceptance of the offer by signing the final receipt and agreement which has now been in the hands of his legal advisers for some time.