§ Mrs. BeckettTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will give for each financial year since 1989–90 the numbers of(a) hospital spells and (b) finished consultant episodes in NHS hospitals in England recorded in the hospital episode system for (i) acute specialties, (ii) geriatrics, (iii) mental illness, (iv) mental handicap, (v) maternity, (vi) well babies and (vii) all specialties.
§ Mr. Sackville[holding answer 16 January 1995]: The number of finished consultant episodes in Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) for each financial year 1988–89 to 1992–93 is given in the annual publication "Hospital Episode Statistics, England", copies of which are available in the Library.
Previously quoted estimates of hospital spells have now been superseded by emerging new information and revised figures will be available in due course.