§ 43. Mr. Nobleasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is satisfied that the Hospital Plan takes adequate account of the needs of the Highland area; and what advice he has had from the regional hospital boards concerned.
§ Mrs. HartYes, Sir; though we are not able to do all we should like. The regional hospital boards were fully consulted during the review of the Hospital Plan and all their proposals were carefully considered.
§ Mr. NobleDoes not the hon. Lady realise that her right hon. Friend very kindly sent me a letter today giving me the information required in part of the Question? Does she not realise that it made it very clear that the regional hospital board would have liked this to continue but that the money which the right hon. Gentleman and his hon. Friends promised to increase has not been available?
§ Mrs. HartThe right hon. Gentleman is walking into something here. Let us be quite clear that this hospital will be begun soon after 1971. I remind him that it did not appear in the 1964 review covering the years up to 1969–70 for which he was responsible. He should look back on his own party's long years of non-achievement. The total spent on Scottish hospital building in 1954–64 was just over £33 million. We are proposing to spend £60 million in the next five years.