§ Sir John StanleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has as to the number of (a) body scanning machines, (b) brain scanning machines and (c) kidney machines available to the NHS, and the number of patients benefiting from their use, in 1978 and in the latest year for which figures are available.
§ Mr. DorrellComplete information on the availability of scanners in the NHS is not collected centrally. However, we are aware of 15 whole-body scanners and 37 head-only scanners which were operating in the NHS in 1978. At present we believe that the NHS is using 293 whole-body scanners and one head-only scanner. It is estimated that in 1978 approximately 195,000 patients benefited from the scanners then in use, compared with approximately 1,040,000 patients in 1991. According to information provided by the European Dialysis and Transplant Association, the number of patients receiving haemodialy-sis in 1978 was 2,833, compared with 4,582 in 1990, the latest year for which information is available. The number of patients being treated through continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis has risen from 114 to 4,006 over the same period.