§ Mr. Robin CookTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (I) if he will identify those district health authorities which contract out the processing of cervical smear tests to private laboratories; and the number of tests involved for each district;
(2) if he will give the average cost of processing each cervical smear test within the National Health Service; and the average cost for the smear test contracted out to laboratories outside the National Health Service.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyThis information is not held centrally.
Thousands Population aged 65 or more2 Residential care places3 Independent sector nursing beds4 Year Local authority Voluntary Private 1979 6,978.0 113.6 33.9 32.0 — 1980 7,067.2 114.1 35.0 35.8 — 1981 7,107.7 114.9 36.9 39.3 — 1982 7,107.5 115.5 36.7 44.3 18.2 1983 7,061.2 115.9 37.6 51.8 22.5 1984 7,033.9 116.4 38.2 63.1 27.3 11985 7,184.4 102.5 26.4 73.6 33.9 1986 7,294.9 101.5 25.6 86.9 41.6 1987 7,407.4 112.4 28.4 105.8 — 1988 7,465.4 110.6 28.5 115.9 57.0 1989 7,522.6 107.4 28.6 134.6 73.6 Note: All figures are rounded to one decimal place.
1 Figures for places in residential care from 1985 are for elderly people only. Earlier years include places for younger physically handicaped.
2 Mid-year OPCS figures.
3 Figures are for year-ending 31 March.
4 The numbers of beds in private hospitals and clinics and private and voluntary nursing homes are not collected separately. Figures are for calendar year ending up till 31 December 1986, and for year-ending 31 March from 1987–88. Figures before 1982 are not available.