To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the implications of the patients charter for patients who presently benefit from in-patient specialised units.

The patients charter provides commitments on raising the standard of service for all who make use of the NHS in Scotland. In particular, all in-patients will benefit from the guarantees to be provided as from April 1992 on waiting times for admission to hospital.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the aims and objects of the patients charter.

The aim of our patients charter is to set out simply and clearly what everyone who uses the NHS in Scotland can expect from it; and to give a series of commitments designed to improve the standards of service.