Chamber and committees

The appointment of the interim management team to NHS Argyll and Clyde, which I announced on 17 December, enables a range of strategic and operational issues to be addressed. The board and the interim management team are expected to bring forward plans for a review of health care services across Argyll and Clyde, to help achieve a balanced and sustainable pattern of services. The timing and duration of the review are matters for the board, but there must be adequate time allowed for genuine public engagement, consultation and involvement in these important issues.

An important part of the responsibilities of each NHS board is to plan and ensure the provision of sustainable health care services to meet the needs of their populations. I expect NHS Argyll and Clyde, and the interim management team whose appointment I announced on 17 December 2002, to ensure that its responsibilities in this regard are fulfilled.The review of health care services across Argyll and Clyde referred to in the answer given to question S1W-32080 today, will ensure that people living in all parts of Argyll and Clyde, including those north of the river Clyde, have the opportunity to be involved in considering options and future patterns of services.All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa.

The appointment of the interim management team to NHS Argyll and Clyde, which I announced on 17 December, enables a range of strategic and operational issues to be addressed. Work had already begun on a review of maternity services across Argyll and Clyde. There will now be wide consultation with the public and with staff about options for maternity services, as part of the review. The outcome of the review will be shaped by this consultation process and by relevant departmental guidance, including the Framework for Maternity Services, published in February 2001, and the report of the Expert Group on Acute Maternity Services, published on 18 December 2002; and will guide future patterns of maternity services at the Vale of Leven District General Hospital.

The appointment of the interim management team to NHS Argyll and Clyde, which I announced on 17 December, enables a range of strategic and operational issues to be addressed. Among these, I expect that the board and the management team will consider recruitment, staffing and related issues across the board area, including at the Vale of Leven District General Hospital.

The support team that I sent in to NHS Argyll and Clyde on 26 September 2002 to help the chairman of the board and his colleagues address management issues across the NHS board area concluded that there were strategic management shortcomings that needed to be put right. As a result, senior staff changes have taken place, and I announced on 17 December 2002 that an interim support team had been appointed to tackle key strategic and management challenges in the area. Among these challenges will be designing and delivering sustainable health care services across the Argyll and Clyde area and the recruitment and retention of staff.

The Executive has no such plans.

The Sewerage (Scotland) Act 1968.

The Report of the Review of Scottish Screen was published by the Scottish Executive today. Copies are available in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 25733).

The level of detail available will depend on the information provided in each local authority's Partnership in Practice Agreement. It is unlikely that each authority will have provided the level of detail referred to in the question. The short-life working group of The same as you? Implementation Group will continue to support the development of local area co-ordination and any reports they produce will be made available on the learning disability review website.

In accordance with standard practice, where the information requested is in the public domain, the answer will refer to the information available.