HC Deb 16 December 1991 vol 201 c51W
Mr. David Porter

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what estimate has been made of expenditure involved in the removal of tattoos within the NHS for the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

(2) what percentage of the in-patient waiting lists for 1990–91 were cases relating to the removal of tattoos; and if he will make a statement;

(3) what estimate he has made of the total number for the current year on NHS in-patient and out-patient waiting lists who require removal of tattoos; what percentage of total waiting lists these represent; and if he will make a statement;

(4) what information he has showing by region the numbers of patients waiting for tattoo removal in the NHS and the percentage of the whole waiting list represented by this group in each case in (a) 1990–91 and (b) the current year.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

Waiting list information is available centrally by specialty only and not by the intended method of treatment or operation. Out-patient waiting list information is not collected centrally. No estimate has been made of expenditure involving the removal of tattoos.