To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many intensive therapy unit beds for children there were in each of the last five years; and what was the total child population in each of those years;(2) how many times in each of the last five years a child has been refused admission to children intensive therapy unit beds; and how many child intensive therapy unit beds are closed at present;(3) what information she has on the children intensive therapy unit beds in each other EC country, and the total number of children in each of those countries;(4) what was the number of

[holding answer 10 June 1993]: Figures showing the number of beds allocated for paediatric care in each regional health authority from 1987–88 to 1991–92 are shown in the table with details of the population. For earlier years, from 1981, statistics were calculated on a different basis and are not comparable.Although the figures show a decline in bed numbers in the period, patient activity has increased, due to the extended use of day surgery, decreases in lengths of stay, and developments in medical practice. Although the child population has remained fairly constant at around 9·5 million—under 16—patient activity in paediatrics increased by 58 per cent. between 1981 and 1988–89 and by 11·3 per cent. between 1988–89 and 1991–92.Information on the number or management of designated paediatric intensive therapy beds here or in other European community countries is not available centrally. However, the Department has funded an independent survey of the beds currently available within the national health service as part of a review of the need for intensive care facilities for critically ill children which a working party established by the British Paediatric Association is carrying out. Its report is due in the autumn. We expect that it will help health authorities in assessing the needs of their child population and negotiating contracts with hospital provider units to meet these needs.