§ Mr. Reidasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the use of isosorbide in the treatment of hydrocephalus.
§ Mr. Harry EwingI am advised that isosorbide is used where hydrocephalus is only slowly progressive The decision to use this drug and the treatment regime adopted is a matter for the clinical judgment of the doctor in charge of the case.
§ Mr. Reidasked the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will make a statement on the risks associated with the shunt treatment of hydrocephalus.
§ Mr. Harry EwingI am advised that, apart from the inherent risks attached to any operation, infection is the major 29W problem in this particular operation There is also some danger of ventricular bleeding, and an increased anaesthetic risk because of increased intracranial pressure.
§ Mr. Reidasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many shunt surgery operations have been carried out on hydrocephalic spina bifida babies in each of the last five years.
§ Mr. Harry EwingStatistics are not yet available for the years 1975 and 1976 Shunt operations carried out on hydrocephalic spina bifida babies in each of the preceding five years were:
1970 … … … 51 1971 … … … 105 1972 … … … 71 1973 … … … 59 1974 … … … 57
§ Mr. Reidasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the availability and use of computerised axial tomography in the detec-
Region Total rateable value Rateable value of industrial subjects included therein Percentage value of industrial subjects to total rateable value Borders … 4,879,688 330,102 6.8 Central … 20,063,091 5,712,911 28.5 Dumfries and Galloway … 7,139,603 594,542 8.3 Fife … 18,935,423 2,277,566 12.0 Grampian … 24,555,495 2,468,179 10.1 Highland … 9,420,596 1,229,412 13.1 Lothian … 51,467,301 3,491,452 6.8 Strathclyde … 163,106,430 17,531,485 10.7 Tayside … 24,189,517 1,943,922 8.0 Orkney … 421,410 25,249 6. 0 Shetland … 463,641 20,603 4.4 Western Isles … 766,762 69,280 9.0 All Scotland … 325,408,957 35,694,703 11.0