17. To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the median waiting time was for (a) in-patient and (b) out-patient NHS treatment (i) in 2005 and (ii) on the latest date for which figures are available. (317487)

The median waiting time for in-patient admissions was 8.5 weeks in March 2005, and 4.9 weeks in December 2009, which is the latest date for which figures are available. The median waiting time for first out-patient appointment in March 2005 was 4.8 weeks, and 3.4 weeks in December 2009.