§ Mr. Steelasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if, further to his reply of 19 December, Official Report, column 78, he will make a statement about the recommended proposal for the establishment of the University of Edinburgh dental hospital and school put forward by the joint university-Lothian health board working party.
§ Mr. YoungerA revised proposal for a new purpose-built dental hospital and school was submitted by the Lothian health board to the Scottish Home and Health Department in July. The proposal, together with the other options considered by the joint working party, is being considered by the Department, and discussions have taken place with officials of the University Grants Committee and representatives of the joint working party. A number of important issues require further detailed examination. Substantial capital and revenue costs would be involved in the proposal favoured by the University of Edinburgh and the Lothian health board. The final decision must relate these costs to the expected level of demand for dental graduates in the country as a whole and to the nature and volume of demand for dental services in south-east Scotland.