§ Mr. Carter-Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the Official Report or another publication an annual progress report on the actions taken and the developments which follow such action by the area health authorities with the highest perinatal mortality and handicap rates in Scotland.
§ Mr. FairgrieveNo. I am satisfied that all health boards are aware of the need to continue to seek improvements in the perinatal mortality and handicap rates. My Department commissioned a survey into perinatal deaths in Scotland in 1977; a survey of the 1979 figures is almost complete and further similar studies will be carried out for 1980 and 1981. The results of these surveys are made available to health boards and serve as valuable indicators of progress made or requiring to be made by individual boards.