asked the Minister of Health how many thoracic surgeons operate in the United Leeds Hospitals Board area; how many operations they have performed during 1965 and to date in 1966; and what has been the ratio of amenity beds to private beds in relation to these operations.

Three thoracic surgeons, working a total of 14 sessions weekly, are employed by the Board of Governors of the United Leeds Hospitals, where 555 operations in thoracic surgery were performed in 1965 and 170 in the first five months of 1966. These figures include operations on amenity patients (5 and 2 respectively) and on private patients (26 and 8 respectively). They do not include operations performed in the Leeds area by thoracic surgeons under contract to the Leeds Regional Hospital Board.