§ Mr. McQuarrieasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list in the Official Report the number and names of the health boards which have not yet taken 12W effective steps to secure competitive tenders for all the ancillary services provided in the hospitals under the jurisdiction of each health board; and what steps he proposes to take on this matter.
§ Mr. John MacKayFive health boards—Argyll and Clyde, Fife, Greater Glasgow, Highland and Lothian—have resolved, for the time being, not to seek competitive tenders to test the efficiency of their support services, but to secure improvements in cost-effectiveness by carrying out, with the full co-operation of their staff, intensive reviews of services. I am meeting health board chairmen on 13 November to discuss the next steps to be taken.