§ Lord Ennalsasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will state the numbers of patients on hospital waiting lists in each of the years 1978 to 1983 inclusive.
§ Lord GlenarthurThe available information is given in the following table. The increases between 1978 and 1979, 1981 and 1982 are attributable to industrial action in the health service. We welcome the progress which the National Health Service has achieved, and which is reflected in the latest figures, in starting to regain the ground which was lost.
England Year Number of persons on NHS hospital inpatient waiting lists in England on (a) 31st March (b) 30th September 1978 603,240 628,361 1979 752,422 698,450 1980 664.919 635,881 1981 628,333 619,393 1982 622,480 725,865 1983 726,186 704,500 (provisional estimate)