Protesters lobbied the Scottish Parliament this week

Duncan McNeil believes a moratorium should be imposed pending a national debate on the shape of the NHS.

Mr Chisholm has insisted that he has the power to reject health board proposals and each proposal would be judged on merit.

Demonstrations against cuts have been taking place across Scotland.

"I believe it is essential for the integrity of that debate that the minister takes no final decisions on service change until that group has completed its work and reported to him in March 2005.

Committee move

"The debate is not just for Malcolm Chisholm, the debate is for the Royal Colleges and the debate is for the political establishment about how we shape and change the health service.

"My records, and those of my colleagues, show that we have been challenging the orthodoxy of the centralisation of health services for some considerable time.

"We are not new to this campaign, we have led this campaign for some time."

Duncan McNeil: "Debate essential for integrity"

The MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde said that it would not be possible to close services during a national debate.

In Mr McNeil's own constituency there are plans to cut most of the in-patient beds at Inverclyde Royal Hospital. However, there would be more day surgery and out-patient appointments.

On Thursday, MSPs on the health committee asked Professor David Kerr, chairman of an advisory group which is completing a report on reforming Scotland's health service by 2005, for a moratorium on cutbacks until his task is completed.

After facing protests at hospital cutbacks across the country - including many in Labour stronghold areas - Mr Chisholm has insisted that he has the power to reject health board plans.

He has reminded NHS executives of the need to work closely with neighbouring health boards when developing their proposals.

Political point-scoring

Independent MSP Jean Turner has lodged a motion calling for all planned reorganisations to be suspended while a national strategy is developed.

Nicola Sturgeon, the Scottish National Party's leader at Holyrood, signed the motion on Friday.

She said the issue was "far more important than party political point-scoring".

"I believe this can be the rallying point around which the Scottish Parliament can unite and hope that MSPs of all parties will now join me in backing this motion," she said.

HOSPITALS FACING REORGANISATION 1. Balfour Hospital, Kirkwall 2. W' Isles Hospital, Stornoway 3. Caithness Gen. Hospital, Wick 4. Belford Hospital, Fort William 5. Lorne and Isles Hospital, Oban 6. Perth Royal Infirmary 7. Forth Park Hospital, Kirkcaldy 8. Queen Marg't Hospital, Dunfermline 9. Stirling Royal Infirmary 10. Vale of Leven Hospital, Alexandria 11. Inverclyde Royal, Greenock 12. Falkirk Royal 13. St John's Hospital, Livingston 14. Monklands Hospital, Airdrie 15. Stobhill Hospital, Glasgow 16. Western Infirmary, Glasgow 17. Queen Mother's Hospital, Glasgow 18. Victoria Infirmary, Glasgow 19. Wishaw General 20. Hairmyres Hospital, E' Kilbride 21. Ayr Hospital