Written Question: Vale of Leven Hospital

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to extend the duration of the public inquiry into the Clostridium difficile outbreak at the Vale of Leven hospital.


Answered by Alex Neil (07/02/2014):Lord MacLean, Chairman of the Vale of Leven Hospital Inquiry, wrote to me on 17 December 2013 informing me that the warning letter process will not be completed in sufficient time to allow for the publication of the report by March 2014.

Under the legislation, the chairman must issue a warning letter to any individual or organisation likely to be the subject of significant or explicit criticism in his report. The warning letter allows them a reasonable opportunity to consider and respond to the criticisms. As a matter of fairness, the chairman must consider these responses.

The warning letter process is not yet complete and Lord MacLean is unable to give a reporting date until this process is fully completed. I will, therefore, inform Parliament as soon as the reporting date is known.