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The contract structure selected by the board for the procurement of the new hospitals is the New Engineering Contract (NEC) and the option selected within this suite of documents is option C. This option is a target cost contract with an activity schedule where the outturn financial risks are shared between the client and the contractor in an agreed proportion (pain/gain) as set out in the tender submission. The contract was amended to incorporate a pre-determined cap, referred to as the maximum price.

In order to protect the affordability position of the board, and to provide a strong incentive for cost control throughout the contract period, bidders were also required to provide a maximum price, above which NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde would not be required to make any further payment. In summary, once this maximum price has been exceeded the overspend risk is borne 100% by the contractor.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-29188 on 2 December 2009. 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/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

The following table details the information requested.

NHS Scotland	Headcount as at 30 September 2007	Whole-time Equivalent as at 30 September 2007	Headcount as at 30 September 2008	Whole-time Equivalent as at 30 September 2008
Midwives1	3,148	2,531.9	3,321	2,670.1

Source: National Services Scotland Information Services Division (ISD) Scotland

Note: For 2008 data on the Agenda for Change bands 5 to 9 are shown as band 1 to 4 include midwifery support.

Information as at 30 September 2009 is due to be published on 15 December 2009 and will be available from the National Services Scotland Information Services Division (ISD) Scotland website link http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/796.html.

The Sandyford hub sexual health service at the Vale of Leven Hospital, which provides sexual health and family planning services, replaced the Dumbarton family planning and well woman clinic earlier this year. The GP out-of-hours services have been provided from the Vale site since 2004. There are no other primary care services which were previously provided in primary healthcare settings.

The out-of-hours GP services which were provided at the old Stobhill and Victoria facilities have been moved to the new Stobhill and Victoria Hospitals. In addition, ante-natal clinics will now be provided in the new Stobhill and Victoria Hospitals. There are no other primary care services which were previously provided in primary healthcare settings.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-29069 on 1 December 2009. 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/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

The Scottish Capital Investment Manual guidance makes clear that contingencies and optimism bias should be provided for. In the outline business case, these were appropriately calculated and incorporated in to the health board''s affordability envelope. The maximum price received from the successful bidder is within the board''s budget estimates and allows for an adequate contingency provision within the overall affordability envelope.

The procuring authority is NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (the board) and therefore the Scottish Government has not taken any advice from the European Commission.

The issue of whether TUPE rules apply is a legal matter and therefore a matter for NHS Tayside to confirm.

The decision by NHS Tayside to take over the management of Stracathro offers the opportunity for future employment within the NHS for Netcare staff, and for others within the community, with the skills and expertise needed to care for patients. This is one of the positive outcomes achieved by securing future service provision at Stracathro as part of NHS Tayside.

The number of midwives who graduated from Scottish higher education institutions in 2007-09 was 161 and in 2008-09 was 143.

The Scottish Government does not hold statistics on the number of newly qualified midwives who gain employment. However, only 14 newly qualified nurses and midwives required access the one year job guarantee scheme in 2007-08 and 20 accessed the scheme in 2008-09.

The Scottish Government continues to fund the national one year job guarantee scheme, which is intended to ensure that every newly qualified midwife receives the offer of a job either through their own means or with assistance. It is designed to ensure that all newly qualified midwives have the opportunity to build on the clinical experience gained during their pre-registration programme.