To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the average cost of in-patient treatment per hospital bed per week for a hip replacement operation; what is the total spent on such operations in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 11 February 1991]: The cost of a hip replacement is estimated to be £2,780 at 1989–90 prices. Since this cost is dependent on the length of patient's stay no meaningful average hospital in-patient cost can be given. During 1989–90 some 45,000 hip replacement operations were performed at an estimated total cost of £125·3 million.