HC Deb 04 July 1960 vol 626 cc23-4
32 and 33. Mr. Pavitt

asked the Minister of Health (1) what was the rate of increase in the average salaries paid to assistants in general practice following the two interim awards to their principals;

(2) if, when he makes any retrospective payment to general practitioners in accordance with the recommendations in the Pilkington Report, he will take steps to ensure that assistants will receive retrospective increases proportionate to the sums received by their principals.

Mr. Walker-Smith

As I explained in a Written Answer to the hon. Member on 20th June, 1960, the conditions of employment of assistants are a matter for private contract between each principal and assistant and no information is available centrally from which recent average salaries could be calculated. I understand that the representatives of the medical profession have the interests of assistants well in mind.

Mr. Pavitt

Is not the right hon. and learned Gentleman absolving himself from responsibility by throwing this matter back to the medical profession? Is he aware that local executive councils have an account of the net salaries paid to assistants for superannuation purposes? Cannot he keep himself informed by taking a cross-section or sample of this? Will he use the machinery at his disposal to give justice to these people in view of the fact that back-pay is given to general practitioners at the time when cheques are authorised by the local executive council?

Mr. Walker-Smith

I am prepared to look into the statistics which the executive councils have to see whether they aid us in this matter, but I ask the hon. Gentleman to bear in mind what I said on 20th June, namely, that these arrangements are the subject of private contract. Therefore, it is not for me to lay down precisely what should be done. I am pleased with the assurances given by the Chairman of the General Medical Services Committee that the doctors will do the right thing by their assistants.

Mr. Pavitt

I thank the Minister for promising to look into this matter. There is a private contract between the principal and assistant, but, at the same time the recommendations of the Pilkington Report, if carried out, will mean a great increase in salary for the principal during the time of the contract, Will not the Minister seek to ensure that a proportion of it is passed on to the assistant through the machinery which he has at his disposal?

Mr. Walker-Smith

The distribution will be agreed with the medical profession, and the medical profession has said that it will do the right thing by its assistants. Part of the Pilkington Committee's recommendations is that this system should continue on the basis of settlement by private agreement between the doctor and the assistant.