HC Deb 11 December 1985 vol 88 cc912-3
7. Mr. Norman Hogg

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received about the proposed closure of the maternity unit at Stobhill hospital; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. John MacKay

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I have received a number of representations about the board's proposals. In the first instance, it is for the Greater Glasgow health board to consult all interested parties. Thereafter, the proposed closure will require the agreement of my right hon. Friend, who, in reaching a decision, will take into account the outcome of the board's consultation exercise.

Mr. Hogg

Will the Minister accept from me that the closure would be unacceptable to Cumbernauld and Kilsyth and that it would mean the break-up not just of a first-class facility serving the northern area of Glasgow but of a highly skilled team whose services we cannot afford to lose?

Mr. MacKay

As the hon. Gentleman says, the Stobhill maternity hospital provides a service to the residents of Cumbernauld and Kilsyth. The Greater Glasgow health board would have to discuss with Lanarkshire health board the effect on residents of any proposed closure before submitting any formal application to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State.

Mr. Hirst

Is my hon. Friend aware that one in three of the babies born to people in the Stobhill catchment area is born in a hospital outside the area? Does that not suggest that the local community has not supported the excellent obstetrics unit at the district general hospital?

Mr. MacKay

I cannot confirm the statistics, but it is certainly true that many people in the catchment area do not have their babies in Stobhill maternity unit but go to other maternity units in the city. I am sure that the board will take all those factors into account.

Mr. Martin

The hon. Gentleman has agreed to meet my hon. Friend the Member for Glasgow, Cathcart (Mr. Maxton) and other hon. Members from the Glasgow area tomorrow. Will he give an assurance that he will allow Stobhill to be discussed at that meeting?

Mr. MacKay

I do not see how I could prevent hon. Members from discussing it if they wished. Indeed, I imagine that it is one of the items that will be discussed at that meeting. It is worth noting that in Glasgow last year there were 524 staffed maternity beds, but average occupancy was only 368 and maximum occupancy on any given day was 440. It seems obvious, therefore, that there is an oversupply of maternity beds in Glasgow.

Mr. Maxton

In view of the proposed closure of the maternity unit and the other cuts that the health board will have to impose as a result of Government policy, how can the Minister justify the boast that the Government have increased and will increase still further, the amount spent on the Health Service in Scotland? Or does the so-called £120 million extra of which the Secretary of State boasted last week mean that the Greater Glasgow health board will not have to implement those cuts?

Mr. MacKay

The Greater Glasgow health board will receive its share of the additional money made available by my right hon. Friend to the hospital-based Health Service—an increase of about 6.8 per cent. from this year to next. Greater Glasgow is the second best funded health board in Scotland. Under the SHARE formula adopted by the Labour Government, the bulk of the additional money will go to the least funded boards. Nevertheless, Greater Glasgow will receive its share and I believe that with that increase it will be able to continue to provide excellent services for patients.