§ Dr. GodmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he had on(a) the installation of a computerised command and control radio system for the Argyll and Clyde health board catchment area and (b) the 401W construction of an ambulance station in Greenock, when he last met the chief executive of the Scottish ambulance service; and if he will make a statement. [3701]
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonMy right hon. Friend last met the Chief Executive of the Scottish Ambulance Service NHS trust on 18 October when he opened the service's new training college at Eddleston. The issues referred to by the hon. Member were not discussed, but I can confirm that a computerised command and control system came into use at Paisley ambulance control on 29 September 1996. Work on rolling out the new ambulance radio system into Argyll and Clyde is under way and the system is scheduled to be operational across the area by April 1998.
A replacement ambulance station for Greenock is the top priority building scheme in the Scottish ambulance service's west region. Funds for this purpose have been reserved in the trust's provisional capital programme for 1997–98. Action is currently being taken to identify an appropriate site for the station.