§ Mr. James Whiteasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement about the formation of the Association of Scottish Local Health Councils.
§ Mr. MillanThe Association has been formed on a voluntary basis on the initiative of local health councils themselves and with my encouragement, and is supported by the majority of councils in404W Scotland. It held its inaugural meeting in Edinburgh on 30th September last year. It should provide a forum for the exchange of views and information between individual councils and in due course should become a valuable sounding board for informed consumer reaction to national policies and proposals in the Scottish Health Service.
On the assumption that the House has no objections, I propose that the Association will be financed by annual subscriptions levied upon member local health councils and by a contribution from the Health Etc. (Scotland) Vote. It is my intention that the Association should be a statutory body, and the necessary legislation will be introduced in due course.