§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 19 May 1998,Official Report, column 353, on hospital waiting lists, what information is held centrally; and for what reasons the information requested was available for 1996–97 and 1997–98. [43357]
§ Mr. MilburnWaiting list/time information held centrally is based on the well established series of quarterly returns from health authorities and trusts. The information provided last year in respect of 1996–97 and 1997–98 had already been collected centrally as special exercises by the previous administration.