§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his latest estimate of the shortage of matching organs for kidney transplantation; and if he will give any conveniently available statistics.
§ Mr. WhitneyThe number of patients registered at the United Kingdom transplant service as waiting for a kidney transplant on 31 October 1985 was 2,998. The numbers of kidney transplants performed in the United Kingdom, according to data supplied by UKTS, were 1,144 in 1983, 1,443 in 1984 and 1,160 during the first 10 months of 1985. The factor that limits the expansion of the kidney transplant programme is the availability of donor organs, 159W and we are considering what further measures might be taken to maintain the momentum of last years successful campaign to increase organ donation.