I propose to take Question Nos. 50 and 55 together.
The National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) is responsible for the collation and reporting of national hospital waiting list data. Patients are placed on the national list only after they have been waiting three months, because many people receive their treatment within three months and, in some cases, with little or no waiting. It is not appropriate to classify these patients as "awaiting treatment" in the same way as those who have been waiting for several months. The NTPF's figures for August 2010 indicate that the number of patients waiting for over three months was 20,178. It is not correct, therefore, to conclude that there are over 46,000 patients on waiting lists.
In relation to the Deputies' queries on individual hospital waiting lists and the August comparison to September data, which is due for publication shortly, I have referred the questions to the Executive for direct reply.