HC Deb 18 November 1992 vol 214 cc279-81
4. Mr. Burns

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many doctors and nurses there were in Scotland in 1979 and at the latest available date; and if he will make a statement.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland (Mr. Allan Stewart)

At 30 September 1979 there were 9,839 doctors, including general medical practitioners, employed in the national health service in Scotland and at 30 September 1991, the latest available date, this had risen to 11,079. The number of qualified nurses in the national health service in Scotland rose from 31,931 to 43,011 over this period.

Mr. Burns

I am grateful to my hon. Friend. Will he confirm that that shows an increase of just over 10 per cent. in the number of doctors and an increase of about a third in the number of nurses in the health service in Scotland? If my mathematics are correct, does he agree that they more than underline the Government's commitment not only to health care and patients in Scotland, but to the national health service throughout the nation?

Mr. Stewart

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. The figures are correct and beyond dispute, even by Opposition Members. They represent an increase of 12 per cent. in the number of doctors and an increase of 35 per cent. in the number of nurses since the Conservative party came to office. That underlines the Government's real commitment to the national health service and to its improvement in Scotland and throughout the rest of the United Kingdom.

Mr. McAvoy

Is the Minister aware of the threat to the employment of doctors and nurses and to services to the public by the threatened closure of hospitals in Glasgow, especially the Victoria infirmary and Rutherglen maternity hospital which serve my constituents? There will be a consultation period, but, as Mr. Laurence Peterken has displayed his absolute determination to close the Victoria infirmary and the maternity hospital, will the Minister ensure genuine consultation by removing Mr. Laurence Peterken from office for the period of that consultation?

Mr. Stewart

The hon. Gentleman, who is widely respected in the House, does himself no good by personal attacks on a distinguished servant of the national health service. The hon. Gentleman referred to the Victoria infirmary and will know that it serves my constituency as well as his. The Government welcome the production by the Greater Glasgow health board of a consultation document in relation to changes in medical practice and changes in population. I assure the hon. Gentleman that there will be the fullest public consultation before any decisions are taken.

Mr. Kynoch

I am sure that my hon. Friend is aware that we are spending 44 per cent. more in real terms on the national health service in Scotland than was spent in 1979. I hope that my hon. Friend will take an interest in the review of acute services currently being carried out by Tayside health board and ensure that Stracathro hospital, the only major hospital between Dundee and Aberdeen for acute and emergency services, is retained. That hospital serves many of my constituents and those in neighbouring constituencies.

Mr. Stewart

As my hon. Friend may know, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State may wish to consider a trust application from Stracathro hospital. He will also be aware of the immense success story of the Aberdeen Royal hospitals NHS trust, about which I could detain the House with details for some time. However, Madam Speaker would not wish me to do so. Undoubtedly, the success of the Aberdeen Royal hospitals NHS trust shows that trust status hospitals in Scotland are working well.

Mrs. Fyfe

It seems a little odd that the Minister has to be told that information in the Library shows that the true full-time equivalent increase in nurses and midwives is only 6 per cent. Is it not true that numbers have been increasing anyway since the health service was founded? I should like to ask about future funding for doctors and nurses. How many doctors and nurses will there be if five Glasgow hospitals are allowed to close'? How much income does the Minister expect to get from selling 82 acres at Stobhill or 10 acres at Victoria infirmary? How many patients will be refused treatment in his market system because the health board will not pay the costs?

Mr. Stewart

Oh dear, the hon. Lady does talk nonsense. However, I am glad to have a reassurance that even the hon. Lady—

Mrs. Fyfe

Read the statistics.

Mr. Stewart

I also go to the Library. I am glad to have the hon. Lady's reassurance that, however defined, the number of nurses in Scotland has increased under the Government, as has the number of doctors. I am glad that the Opposition have today conceded that, on any measure.

I am surprised that the hon. Lady does not think that there is a case for considering the future of acute services in Greater Glasgow. I should have thought that anyone looking at changes in medical practices and in population would concede that it was sensible to look at the options. We are moving from the stage at which we invested massively in district general hospitals in peripheral areas to a strategy of massive investment in district general hospitals in urban centres. I should have thought that the hon. Lady, representing Glasgow, Maryhill, would welcome that. [Interruption.]

Madam Speaker

Order. The House must come to order so as to hear the Minister. Has he finished his response?

Mr. Stewart

Yes, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker

In that case, I call Mr. Oppenheim.

Mr. Oppenheim

Does not this huge increase in the number of doctors and nurses in Scotland give the lie to the common Labour smear that we do not care about the health service? Is it not also the case that we have further committed ourselves to huge increases in NHS funding for this coming year, despite economic difficulties? Is that not in sharp contrast to the period when the Labour party was in power and got into economic difficulties, when the first thing that it cut was the hospital building programme?

Mr. Stewart

My hon. Friend is right. The Government's commitment is clear, and is shown by the figures. We are committed in broad terms to capital expenditure of £500 million over the next 10 years in the national health service in Scotland. As my hon. Friend rightly reminds Opposition Members, when the last Labour Government were in power, capital spending on the NHS was cut in real and in money terms. Under the Conservatives, it has increased and will continue to increase.