Written question asked by Tim Loughton (Conservative) on Thursday, 23 October 2003, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 28 October 2003. It was answered by Lord Hutton of Furness (Labour) on Tuesday, 28 October 2003 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Dept of Health

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the vacancy rates for speech and language staff, broken down by primary care trust area. - Inc figures. (Tables in Library Dep 03/2204).

Answer: Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the vacancy rates for speech and language staff, broken down by primary care trust area. [135168] Mr. Hutton: Information on the rate of vacancies lasting three months or more for speech and language therapists for each primary care trust organisation has been placed in the Library. As at March 2003, the three- month vacancy rate in England was 3.2 per cent., a fall from 5.2 per cent. in the previous year.

Secondary information