§ Mr. KennedyTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the future of local health councils, following submissions received from Scottish health boards.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythSchemes for local health councils have been submitted by all 15 health boards. Those boards representing Ayrshire and Arran, Borders, Dumfries and Galloway, Fife, Forth Valley, Grampian, Greater Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Orkney and Shetland have concluded that the interests of the public in the health service in their areas would be best served by single councils. Argyll and Clyde, Highland, Lothian, Tayside and Western Isles health boards have all submitted proposals for multiple councils.
Following very careful consideration my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has decided to approve, 555W under the provisions of section 7(3) of the National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978, schemes, with modifications as required, to establish single councils for all boards with the exception of Highland, where three councils, based on parliamentary constituency boundaries, and Western Isles with two councils will be permitted. On account of the large population which Greater Glasgow and Lothian health boards served, the councils in these areas will comprise 20 members instead of 15 elsewhere. Letters to this effect are being issued today to all boards.