asked the Secretary of State for Social Services why the central Birmingham health authority instructed two nephrologists not to start any more patients on treatment for chronic renal failure.

At its meeting on 28 September 1982 the Central Birmingham health authority decided that, on a temporary basis, no new patients should be taken on to the continous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis programme until a new authorisation was agreed by the authority or by the district management team on its behalf. Since that time, however, some new patients have been taken on.The decision was taken by the health authority because the number of patients being treated on the CAPD programme had risen well above the number originally budgeted for, and it felt unable to divert additional resources from other services.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish the figures showing the level of treatment of renal failure for each regional authority and the amount spent in each region on (a) dialysis and (b) renal transplants.

The number of patients under treatment for chronic renal failure in each National Health Service region on 31 December 1980—the latest date for which figures are available—was as follows: