§ Mr. DarlingTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list (1) the number of people on the waiting list for operations or procedures in the Lothian health board area in(a) acute specialties, (b) general surgery and (c) orthopaedic surgery in each month from October 1990 to March 1991;
(2) the number of people on the waiting list for operations or procedures in the Lothian health board area for (a)ear, nose and throat surgery, (b) ophthalmology, (c) urology, (d) dentistry, (e) general medicine, (f) dermatology, (g) respiratory medicine, (h) paediatric surgery, (i) gynaecology, (j) neurosurgery, (k) cardiothoracic surgery and (1) neurology in each month between October 1990 and March 1991;
(3) how many people were on the waiting list for operations in all specialties in the Lothian health board area in each month from October 1990 to March 1991.
§ Mr. Michael Forsyth[holding answer 29 April 1991]: The latest available information is set out in the table below:
Waiting lists1 December 1990 Total number Acute specialties 11,065 General surgery 2,715 Orthopaedic 1,285 Ear, nose and throat 2,473 Ophthalmology 1,321 Urology 1,202 Dentistry2 309 General medicine 326 Respiratory medicine — Dermatology 20 Surgical paediatrics 392 Gynaecology 1,004 Neurosurgery 231 Cardiothoracic surgery 281 Neurology 74 All specialties 13,589 1 Total in-patient and day case. 2 Includes orthodontics and paediatric medicine and oral surgery and oral medicine.