To ask the Secretary of State for Health why her Department's Autumn Performance Report 2005 (Cm 6704) states that 70 per cent. of planned procedures now take place as day cases (p. 16), when the data placed in the Library relating to the answer of 17 May 2006, Official Report, column 1117W, on operations, implies that the proportion of procedures performed as day cases has been at 50 per cent. since 2002-03. (73870)

The data from the Department’s Autumn Performance Report 2005 are for elective activity, which includes waiting list, booked and planned admissions. The data in the answer of 17 May include all elective and non-elective operations including emergency admissions, which reduces the day case rate.