HC Deb 15 December 1982 vol 34 cc178-9W
15. Mr. Canavan

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will make a statement about the current situation in the National Health Service in Scotland.

Mr. John MacKay

I hope that following the favourable result of the Royal College of Nursing ballot announced today there will be early settlements on pay. Thereafter we must all work to restore the Health Service to normality and re-establish good working relationships which have always been a mark of the Service.

22. Mr. Gordon Wilson

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to announce extra funding of the National Health Service in Scotland for 1982–83.

Mr. John MacKay

I announced in the House on 30 July that additional funds had been made available to the health programme to help meet the cost of this year's pay offers to NHS staff. Since then supplementary provision has been sought to meet the cost of a greater than expected demand for welfare milk, and the cost of payments due from earlier years to opticians. I do not envisage any further increase in provision for health in the current financial year.