§ 48. Mr. Harry EwingTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on his recent meeting with representatives of the Roy al College of Nursing.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythI met the college's Scottish board on 5 February and discussed waiting lists, competitive tendering and nurse education and training. I took particular note of its views that action to reduce waiting lists required adequate nursing support, and assured it that savings from competitive tendering would be retained by health boards for patient care and that there was every opportunity for existing staff to compete for tenders. We agreed to meet regularly in future.