asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, what steps he is taking to ascertain how many deaths or serious illnesses in each of the last five years arose from lack of hygiene or adequate sterilisation in the National Health Service hospitals.

There would be great difficulty in determining the responsibility of these factors for death or serious illness. Hygiene and sterilisation procedures are the responsibility of health authorities. My Department issues advice from time to time on the maintenance and improvement of standards.