§ Mr. Carmichaelasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware of the decision of the Western Regional Hospital Board to increase the salaries of certain members of the medical staff and in some cases by more than 100 per cent.; and does he intend taking the necessary action to prevent new scales operating at the present time.
§ Mr. WoodburnThe Western Regional Hospital Board have taken no such decision. They have recently made contracts with the doctors working in their hospitals providing for payment in accordance with the nationally agreed scales. These scales were settled by agreement between the Government and the medical profession last June and are based on the recommendations of the Spens Report which was published and accepted by the Government in principle in June, 1948. All hospital authorities in the National Health Service have to observe these nationally agreed scales and no regional hospital board has any discretion in the matter.