§ Mr. Alick Buchanan-Smithasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if stocks of blood are adequate in each of the hospital board areas; and what action he is taking to encourage sufficient numbers of blood donors.
§ Mr. RossStocks are in general adequate; but a particular problem has arisen in the South Eastern Region where demand for blood for advanced surgical operations on patients (a number of whom come from outside the region) has been rising very rapidly. The response to an appeal for more donors in the region has been good and this should meet the immediate needs; but the quantity of blood donated in this region is already proportionately higher than in any other region in the country, and I understand that the question how best to meet the expected further growth in demand is being considered by the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Association.