§ Mr. Robert B. JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will set out a table for England and Wales showing for(a) 1961 and (b) the most recent available date (i) numbers employed in the National Health Service and (ii) the number of hospital beds available to the general public;
(2) if he will set out a table showing the numbers employed in the National Health Service in England and Wales in (a) 1961 and (b) the most recent available date; and if he will list the population of England and Wales at the same dates.
§ Mr. NewtonThe available information for England is given in the table. Information for Wales is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.
11971 1986 NHS directly employed staff 30 September (WTE)12 629,500 801,600 Mid-year population (thousands) 46,131 47,255 Average daily available beds4 419,600 315,700 1 1971 is the earliest year for which staffing, population and bed information is available in England. 2 The staffing figures for 1971 are not comparable with 1986 due to NHS reorganisation. 3 Includes medical and dental locums and nursing and midwifery agency staff. Figures independently rounded to nearest 100 WTE. 4 Figures are rounded to nearest one hundred.