§ 7. Mr. David Steelasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will pay an official visit to The Borders.
§ Mr. MillanI have no immediate plans to do so.
§ Mr. SteelThe Secretary of State will be aware from his previous visits to The Borders that there is great anxiety that the programme for the building of the new hospital should keep pace with the target. Is he able to tell us whether that will be so, when he expects the project to go to tendering, and when he expects building to start?
§ Mr. MillanI can give the assurance that the right hon. Gentleman seeks on this matter. The tender date to which we have been planning will be met. There are a number of internal planning procedures in the hospital service which will have to be gone through. There was a little delay at the beginning, but we are confident that the time will be made up and that we shall go to tender on the date planned, though I would not like to quote the exact date.