HC Deb 12 July 1960 vol 626 cc1157-8
18. Mr. Dempsey

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware of the need for new general hospitals in Lanarkshire; and when a hospital will be erected to meet the increasing needs of the Coatbridge and Airdrie districts.

Mr. Maclay

There is no shortage of general hospital beds in Lanarkshire, but some of the present hospitals are inconveniently situated and some are in wartime buildings. Proposals to provide new units are under consideration, but the pattern of future development is not yet settled and it is too early to say when work will start.

Mr. Dempsey

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that only very recently a prominent medical specialist in Lanarkshire said that some Lanarkshire hospitals were fifty years behind the times, and would not stand comparison with Continental hospitals? Does the right hon. Gentleman realise that we have been asking him for years to consider the hospital situation and provide us with the new hospitals which are long overdue?

Mr. Maclay

I am aware of certain problems in Lanarkshire, and the regional hospital board has made a review of the distribution of the population and the number of hospital beds, and it is at present discussing the result of that review and some tentative proposals based on it with my Department.