asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will list the National Health Service hospitals in which ancillary workers are vetting private cases for treatment or surgery, and the categories of treatment or surgery involved.

I am aware of one hospital only—the Christie Hospital and Holt Radium Institute, Manchester—where this allegation has been made. In fact, I understand, an agreement was reached between consultants, representatives of the ancillary staff and management whereby doctors would not normally seek to admit private patients for non-urgent cosmetic surgery. I have been assured that any decision about appropriate treatment for individual patients at the hospital remains the sole responsibility of the medical staff.