HC Deb 27 February 2001 vol 363 cc623-4W
Mr. Burstow

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were awaiting NHS treatment on 1 January in each year since 1990; and if he will make a statement. [151521]

Mr. Denham

Hospital waiting list information collected centrally shows the position at the end of each quarter. The table shows the number of people waiting for admission to hospital, either as an ordinary or day case, on 31 December each year since 1989.

Patients awaiting admission to hospital
As at 31 December Number
1989 971,845
1990 965,520
1991 950,098
1992 977,189
Patients awaiting admission to hospital
As at 31 December Number
1993 1,065,782
1994 1,070,492
1995 1,054,948
1996 1,104,983
1997 1,261,915
1998 1,173,598
1999 1,108,006
2000 1,034,381

Source

Trust based KHO7 returns

We promised to reduce NHS waiting lists and this we have done. At the end of December 2000 the waiting list was 123,600 below the March 1997 level we inherited.