§ Dr. OwenTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will list for each year since 1979 the average length of in-patient stay in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland;
(2) what was the average length of stay in acute hospitals for each year since 1979 in England, Wales and Scotland.
§ Mrs. CurrieThe available information for England is given in the table. Statistics for the rest of the United Kingdom are a matter for my right hon and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland, and my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Wales and for Northern Ireland.