Mrs. Butler:

asked the Minister of Health what is the length of stay of mothers in hospital used by his Department in calculating that a further 50,000 additional hospital confinements will be provided for by projects started this year.

My estimates are based on current figures of bed-use.

Mrs. Butler:

Is the Minister aware that that is a most unsatisfactory reply? He is proudly boasting that he is catering for so many additional confinements without any indication as to whether these are 24-hour confinements, which are becoming increasingly used by hospitals all over the country. Can he not give us a more precise answer so that we can know exactly what his Department thinks is a satisfactory length of confinement in hospitals?

The provisional figures from hospital returns for the duration of stay in maternity units in 1963 are 8·97 days, in specialist units 9·12 days, and in general practitioner units 8·35 days. It was on that basis that this figure was calculated.

Mrs. Butler:

Can I have the Minister's assurance that he has not included confinements of less than 8·35 days in his calculation?

I was calculating on the basis of those figures. Of course, the fact is also relevant that the average number of discharges from each staffed maternity bed in 1962 was 29·7 and 32·3 in 1964. Perhaps, if the hon. Lady would prefer it, I will write to her setting out in detail how these figures were arrived at.

Mrs. Butler:

In view of the unsatisfactory nature of the Minister's reply, I beg to give notice that I shall raise this matter at the earliest possible moment.