§ Mr. Carter-Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give the average cost separately for acute, 67W chronic and geriatric beds in each of the regional health authorities in England; if he will give the highest and lowest cost in each category of bed in each of the regions; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. NewtonInformation is not collected centrally in this form. The cost returns submitted by health authorities to the Department show average costs per in-patient day for hospitals of different types but do not distinguish between different categories of beds within hospitals.
Copies of the Department's annual publication "Health Services Costing Returns" which summarise by region the information collected from health authorities are held in the Library.
§ Mr. Dobsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give for each health authority in each year since 1979 the total number of hospital beds and the number of acute beds.
§ Mrs. CurrieFor the total number of beds in each district health authority in each year since 1979, I refer the hon. Member to my reply to him on 24 November at columns98 to 106. I shall let the hon. Member have such information on acute beds as can be obtained without incurring disproportionate cost as soon as possible.