§ 3. Mr. James Davidsonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland why the committee established to advise on hospital scientific and technical services in Great Britain has no representative nominated by the medical laboratory technicians and only one member from Scotland.
§ The Under-Secretary of State for Scotland (Mr. Bruce Millan)The membership of this committee of seven members is appropriate for its concern with future scientific development of the hospital services generally and the broad pattern of staffing that this will require. The main interests have been invited to give evidence and will be consulted in the subsequent working out of practical proposals.
§ Mr. DavidsonI am obliged for that Answer, but is the Minister aware that there is no one on the committee who is directly involved in the training of scientific and technical laboratory staff, and there a re no representatives of the employers of such staff of such categories as the Scottish National Blood Transfusion 1414 Association and the members of the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish Health Boards and Departments?
§ Mr. MillanThis is a committee of only seven members, and it is appropriate to the kind of job which it has been asked to do. The working out of the proposals will involve consultation, as I have said, with a wide variety of interests, including those to which the hon. Gentleman refers.
§ Mr. Hector HughesIs my hon. Friend aware that the ratio of persons in scientific and technological employment in Scotland is much greater than it is in England and, therefore, there should be more such representatives on this committee? In 1961—this is the latest figure I have been able to obtain—the total was 23,500.
§ Mr. MillanIt so happens that the Scottish member on the committee is Professor Currie, from Aberdeen. I am sure that, at least in my hon. and learned Friend's view, one Aberdonian is as good as any two other Scotsmen.