To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospitals have closed since 1979 (a) nationally and (b) in the Doncaster area.

We are aware of 463 hospitals or facilities that have been approved for total closure from 1979 to 31 December 1989. Of these, two hospitals were in the Doncaster area.Over the same period, the NHS has increased in-patient treatment as follows:

	1979	1988–89
England	5,400,120	6,585,982
Doncaster	28,103	41,969

That is an increase of 22 per cent. nationally—49·3 per cent. in the Doncaster area.Day case treatment also increased as follows:

	1979	1988–89
England	592,061	1,016,327
Doncaster	2,909	4,961

That is an increase of 71·7 per cent. nationally—70·5 per cent. in the Doncaster area.From 1979–80 to 1989–90 expenditure on the NHS capital programme has grown by 55 per cent. in real terms.