asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what effect the dispute between the Government and hospital consultants is having on waiting lists for admissions to hospital in the area of the Trent Regional Hospital Authority.

Admissions from waiting lists and numbers of out-patients seen have both fallen. The falls vary from area to area but are of the order of 30 per cent. to 50 per cent. Waiting list figures are not readily available on a whole-region basis, and in any case would not necessarily give a complete picture.