To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will take steps to ensure that no newly qualified health visitor in Scotland is unable to find a job; and if he will make a statement.

The responsibility for reviewing manpower requirements lies with health boards and it is for each health board to determine the number of students to be trained in accordance with identified manpower needs. While most newly qualified health visitors should find employment on completion of their training, it is impossible to guarantee the employment of all such health visitors and students are made aware of this when they enrol.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many vacancies for health visitors currently exist in each health board area in Scotland.

This information is not held centrally.