§ Mr. Ernie Rossasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many hospital wards have been closed in each health board area since May 1979.
§ Mr. FairgrieveThe information requested is given in the following table:
HOSPITAL WARD CLOSURES SINCE MAY 1979 Health board Number of wards closed Number of these wards re-opened May 1979 to date Argyll and Clyde 31* 1 Ayrshire and Arran 13 12 Borders 2 1 Dumfries and Galloway 2 — Fife 1 — Forth Valley 7 4 Grampian 5 1 Greater Glasgow 36 34 Highland 5 5 Lanarkshire 14 13 Lothian 51 43 Orkney 1 1 Shetland — — Tayside 10 2 Western Isles — — Scotland 178 117 * 25 wards closed because of the opening of new accommodation.