§ Mr. Hickmetasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the incidence of hip replacement operations carried out within National Health Service hospitals both privately and on the National Health Service over each of the last three years.
§ Mr. Kenneth Clarke[pursuant to his reply, 17 June 1985, c. 54]: The available information is:
NHS hospitals, England—Estimated number of hip replacement operations Year NHS patients Private patients Total 1981 32,410 2,370 34,780 1982* 32,170 1,560 33,730 1983 (provisional) 35,800 1,520 37,320 * Surgical activity in 1982 was generally affected by industrial action in the NHS.