§ 13. Dr. D. Johnsonasked the Minister of Health when he expects to introduce new legislation with a view to the regularising of the present position in the chiropody profession; and if he will include in such legislation provisions to safeguard the position of those who have been earning their living as practising chiropodists and can produce satisfactory medical evidence to that effect.
§ Mr. Walker-SmithMy right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and I have recently drawn up a revised scheme for the statutory registration of professions supplementary to medicine, which would require legislation to bring it into effect. It has recently been considered at a conference of all the bodies concerned and we are now considering the views then expressed.
§ Dr. JohnsonWhile thanking my right hon. and learned Friend for his reply to the first part of my Question, may I now ask him to reply to the second part, namely, whether he will have in mind the position of those whose qualifications, through no fault of their own, do not meet the present requirements owing to the fact that they may have acquired those qualifications twenty or thirty years age? Cannot he make the position such as that under the Dentists Act, 1921, by which these people can still continue to practise under any scheme if they have an appropriate recommendation?
§ Mr. Walker-SmithUnder the provisions of the registration scheme as at present drafted, responsibility for admitting persons to the register will lie with the registration board and it will be for it to apply the criteria. If for any reason the scheme were to break down and not come into effect, I would be prepared to consider whether any revision of the present arrangements is desirable in the context mentioned by my hon. Friend.