asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give an estimate of the number of beds occupied by elderly people who are directly or indirectly incapacitated as a result of the lack of chiropody treatment ; if he will give an estimate of costs of such bed occupancy ; and if he will make a statement.

I have no reason to believe that any hospital beds are occupied by elderly patients solely because they are incapacitated through lack of chiropody treatment.