In response to questions from the hon. Member for North Norfolk (Norman Lamb), the Department placed tables in the Library on 29 October containing the numbers of patients in hospitals whose discharge had been delayed, and the total and the total number of bed nights in each hospital trust lost as a result of such delays, Official Report, column 1030W.

Following further investigation of the data collection and reporting systems used to compile that information I have to report that the information published contained significant errors that overstated the numbers in each category.

Contrary to the impression given by the original inaccurate tables and subsequent media reports, the situation is that bed days lost because of delayed discharges have decreased by approximately 5 per cent. in the past year. The revised information is available in the Library.