HC Deb 20 May 1999 vol 331 c426W
Dr. Tonge

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of hospital telephone inquiry numbers are free phone numbers. [84720]

Mr. Denham

National Health Service trusts may wish to set up telephone inquiry numbers for a variety of reasons and it is up to them to decide whether to use freephone numbers. An individual inquiry line will be set up to meet the needs of a particular set of local circumstances that may be relatively short-lived; the numbers will therefore fluctuate. NHS trusts are not required to notify the Department when they set up (or discontinue) such a line.