§ Dr. HendronTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what is the current average waiting time for heart surgery for children(a) in Northern Ireland and (b) in each of the four area health and social services boards; [35497]
(2) how many children are currently on the waiting list for heart surgery (a) in Northern Ireland and (b) in each of the four area health and social services boards: [35517]
(3) if he will list the changes in spending on cardiac catherisations in each of the four area health and social services boards over the last five years; [35499]
§ Mr. MossInformation is not collected centrally on the number of children in Northern Ireland waiting for heart surgery. The information held in the Department relating to the waiting list shows only the total number of patients and the lengths of time which they have been waiting. For this reason, it is not possible to provide a "current" average waiting time for children presently on the list. However, in regard to those children—aged 14 and under—who had cardiac surgery during the period 1 April 1995 to 31 March 1996 the average waiting time was as follows:
Board of residence Days Eastern Board 121 Northern Board 91 Southern Board 131 Western Board 269 Total for NI 1 151 1 The information in regard to 1995–96 is still provisional. Information is not collected centrally on expenditure on cardiac catheterisations.