§ 13. Major Sir ARCHIBALD SINCLAIRasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether his attention has been drawn to the statement in the Report of the Scottish Board of Health that the gap is widening between the standard of medical services in the Highlands and 1144 that in the Lowlands; and what provision is being made for the maintenance and improvement of the Highlands and Islands medical service during the current year?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for SCOTLAND (Sir John Gilmour)The statement referred to expresses the view of the Consultative Council on Highlands and Islands, whose Report I have seen and am now considering. As regards the second part of the question, the money available in the Highlands and Islands (Medical Service) Fund is sufficient to maintain the medical services on their present scale during the current year. It is anticipated, however, that the fund will be exhausted by the middle of next financial year, before which time the question of what further financial provision should be made will be fully considered in the light of the whole circumstances of the case.
§ Sir A. SINCLAIRWill provision be made, in the meantime, for catching up the leeway as well as merely maintaining these services at the lower level to which they have fallen?
§ Sir J. GILMOURThe provision for this year has been made, and will be carried out to the full.