§ Ms JowellTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many date expired units of donated blood were destroyed at the end of August 1993, 1994 and 1995. [38098]
§ Mr. SackvilleMost National Blood Service blood centres operate a rolling programme of destruction of units of blood which have become date expired, rather than waiting until the end of the calendar month. The following figures therefore relate to the number of date expired units of donated blood destroyed throughout the month of August in the years in question: 1993—2724 units, 1994—2230 units, 1995—2668 units; this represented 1.35, 1.15, and 1.18 per cent. respectively of total units of blood collected in the previous month in each case.