asked the Minister for Health if he will consider establishing a charter of rights for hospital patients.

I have recently asked my Department to examine the question of patients being better informed about the arrangements in the hospitals to which they are admitted. The question of establishing a charter of rights for hospital patients is a more complex issue and would require very careful and detailed consideration but I will bear the matter in mind in conjunction with the study referred to above. The Council of Europe have had the question of the rights of the sick and dying under consideration for some time but have not reached finality in the matter.