§ 20. Mr. W. Hamiltonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware of the concern in Glenrothes, Fife, at the lack of hospital maternity accommodation in the new town; and, in veiw of the fact that the birth rate there is higher than the national average and that the population is expected to increase to 55,000 in the next few years, whether he will take urgent steps to provide further maternity hospital facilities.
§ Mr. NobleThe South-Eastern Regional Hospital Board is at present completing a review of the hospital maternity services in the Region, in which 421 it will take into account the expected growth of Glenrothes. Until the regional board reaches a decision it would be premature for me to comment.
§ Mr. HamiltonWhy has it taken so long for the regional hospital board to get round to this problem? I have been complaining about this and I have reflected the complaints of the Glenrothes population for many years. Meanwhile, the population has not only got larger but the birth-rate is increasing, since the population is very much younger than the national average. Moreover, is the right hon. Gentleman aware that young couples are very often many miles away from their parents and, therefore, they have to get hospitalisation for maternity accommodation? Will he bring these points to the attention of the regional hospital board so that it can make a very urgent decision on these questions?
§ Mr. NobleI hope that we shall get its decision very soon, and I am informed that the matter was considered at a meeting of the regional hospital board's medical services committee on Monday of this week. I know the importance of this problem for the area.