§ Dr. Evan HarrisTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of patients waited up to(a) four weeks, (b) 13 weeks and (c) 26 weeks for their first outpatient appointment following GP referral; and how many patients were waiting for over 13 weeks at quarter end, for thoracic medicine, in (i) England and (ii) each NHS region in each quarter since Q1 1997. [101583]
§ Mr. HuttonThe information requested for Q1 1997–98 to Q3 2002–03 has been placed in the Library. Over this period the number of people waiting over 26 weeks for their first outpatient appointment in thoracic medicine fell from 121 at end June 1997 to none at end December 2002.