asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied with the time it takes for him to reply an hon. Member asking for an immediate investigation into a case where a constituent has had to wait for more than four weeks before an examination for breast cancer, asked for by her general practitioner, was carried out; whether it is the policy of his Department that such examinations should be carried out without delay; and what steps he proposes to take to ensure that correspondence on such matters is dealt with urgently by the Minister responsible.

I am conducting further inquiries and I will write to the hon. Member.