§ Mrs. Dunwoodyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what has been the total stock of National Health Service beds for each of the last 10 years; how many of those beds have been available for the treatment of private patients in each of those years; and how many beds have been available in private hospitals in each of those years.
§ Mr. Geoffrey FinsbergInformation relating to the total number of NHS beds and the number of those beds available to private patients is:
England Year Average available beds in NHS Authorised for treatment of private patients 1972 412,664 4,496 1973 403,526 4,569 1974 396,235 4,535 1975 387,632 4,150 1976 383,132 4,150 1977 375,926 3,213 1978 369,235 2,666 1979 361,670 2,402 1980 355,979 2,402 1981 351,505 2,677 1982 * 2,929 * Not available. The information requested in respect of numbers of beds available in private hospitals for each of the last 10 years is not held by the Department, but details provided by health authorities of premises in England registered under the Nursing Homes Act 1975 and providing acute medical and surgical care are as follows:
Premises Beds December 1977 123 5,558 December 1980 139 6,408 June 1981 144 6,601 Note:Not all the beds may be available for acute care.