§ Mr. Meacherasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list by health authority all hospitals which have (a) closed and (b) opened, indicating the numbers of beds involved, for each of the past five years.
§ Mr. Chris PattenThe information is as follows:
Year Health & Social Services Board Hospitals Closed Beds 1981 Eastern Malone Place 32 Southern Newry General 40 1982 Northern Mary Ranken 16 Northern Rathene 16 1983 Northern Hopefield 32 No new hospitals have opened during the five-year period since 1979, but the services formerly provided at the above hospitals have either transferred to new purpose built non-hospital accommodation, or moved to more modern facilities on existing hospital sites.