§ 38. Mr. McInnesasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many new hospitals have been built in Glasgow since 1920.
§ Mr. RossFive new hospitals within the city boundary, and six others outside the city but designed to serve the people of Glasgow, have been built since 1920.
§ Mr. McInnesIs my right hon. Friend aware that some of the existing hospitals are well over 100 years old and, therefore, the number of new hospitals is most unsatisfactory? I certainly do not blame my right hon. Friend. Perhaps it is the failure of the party opposite. I hope that he will look at this.
§ Mr. RossYes, we have done more than look at it. Various schemes for the improvement of existing hospitals will be put in hand in the period up to 1968–69. There will be the construction of a new general hospital at Gartnavel, a new maternity hospital at Rutherglen, a new geriatric hospital on the site of the present Lightburn Hospital, and a substantial new dental hospital. We will start the extensive new development of the Glasgow Royal Infirmary and the Western Infirmary.
§ Mr. StodartIs the Secretary of State aware of the pressure which was exerted by some of his hon. Friends to slow down the plans for new hospitals in Glasgow in favour of maintaining the present ones at Paisley, Motherwell and Ayr. Is it this pressure that has caused him to throw all the Scottish hospital boards into uncertainty by reviewing the whole programme again?
§ Mr. RossI assure the hon. Gentleman that I met the heads of all the regional hospital boards in Edinburgh a fortnight ago. He has got the facts all wrong. as usual.