HC Deb 03 July 1986 vol 100 cc600-1W
Mr. Dewar

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the average waiting time for patients on National Health Service waiting lists in Scotland in each year since 1978.

Mr. Rifkind

The mean waiting times (in days) for all in-patient treatment up to 1984 (the latest year for which statistics are available) were as follows:

Year Days
1978 68
1979 79

Year Days
1980 75
1981 73
1982 67
1983 98
1984 85

The general increases in 1979 and 1983 reflect the effect of previous industrial action.