asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what has been the response so far to paragraph 26 of the consultative document "Patients First" which seeks views on whether community health councils should be retained;(2) how many submissions have been received (
a) in favour of retaining community health councils and ( b) against retaining community health councils; from whom they have come; and how many have come from organisations and individuals in the Exeter health care district.
Comments on "Patients First" were asked for by 30 April and many are still expected. The impression from the response so far is that more are in favour of retaining CHCs than are against. Detailed analysis of replies will not be undertaken until all have been received but it is unlikely that statistics for particular districts, such as my hon. Friend requests, will be available.