asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will study the report "Childbirth Today" produced by the Council for Science and Society; and whether he intends to take action to collect more information in order to determine the usefulness of equipment used in childbirth.

I am arranging for this report, which I have just received, to be studied. A steering group has just been established to consider health services information generally and its first major study will be concerned with information about hospital clinical activity— including the maternity services.