§ Mr. Norman Hoggasked the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Dunbartonshire, East on 12 July, if he will give details of the categories of staff involved in the industrial dispute which is preventing answers being given to certain parliamentary questions relating to the National Health Service in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. John MacKayOn the instructions of their trade union, a number of administrative and clerical staff employed by the Common Services Agency for the Scottish health services have withdrawn co-operation from my Department. Senior staff are not involved, but the flow of factual information has been disrupted. I regret any inconvenience to the hon. Member, as I do the damaging consequences of the unions' campagn in support of a wholly unrealistic pay claim.