§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to the reply to the hon. Member for Norfolk, North of 12 November 1982, Official Report, c. 302, if he can now give the figures for 31 December 1981 and the latest date available, of the number of people waiting for hospital operations under the National Health Service.
§ Mr. Geoffrey FinsbergThe numbers of people on waiting lists for in-patient treatment in surgical specialties were 597,472 on 31 December 1981 and 596,234 on 31 March 1982—confirmed figure. The latter is the latest figure available.