§ 37. Mr. Pavittasked the Minister of Health why the average time for approving loans to group practices is four and a half months; and if he will take steps to shorten this period.
§ Mr. PowellThe committee needs this time to study the proposed arrangements and plans, to visit the groups and to get agreement to any modifications necessary.
§ Mr. PavittI am aware of the very important work being done by this committee, and most general practitioners would agree upon the necessity for checking that a group practice is not merely a partnership, but will the Minister do what he can to bring down the maximum time to somewhere near the average of four and a half months?
§ Mr. PowellYes, but it has to be borne in mind that part of the time may well be spent by the doctors concerned in considering the proposals put to them by the committee.
§ Dr. SummerskillIs the Minister aware that his Ministry is anxious to encourage group practices? I cannot agree that responsible men take four and a half months to decide upon certain proposals made by his Ministry, and if he allows them to wait for four and a half months it discourages rather than encourages group practices. Will he reconsider this period?
§ Mr. PowellThe proposals are not made by my Ministry but by the committee concerned, but I have no reason to suppose that this lapse of time is discouraging applications for group practice. It is very important that the proposals should be properly considered, both by the committee and by the doctors concerned.
§ 39. Mr. Pavittasked the Minister of Health what was the maximum loan 759 granted per doctor in a group practice receiving loans from the fund established for that purpose.
§ Mr. PowellTwo thousand, five hundred pounds.
§ Mr. PavittWill the Minister resist any pressure that may arise to reduce this sum of £2,500 in order that there shall be more smaller loans? Will he consult his right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer with a view to raising the amount of money available for this very important project?
§ Mr. PowellThat is the maximum. The committee has discretion to lend larger sums in particular cases.
§ Mr. K. RobinsonIs it the Minister or the medical profession that decides the aggregate amount of money available to this committee in a year, since a Written Answer the Minister gave me recently indicated that this amount of money has been absorbed in about half the year in respect of the three years to which he referred, and it should be much greater if we are to encourage group practice?
§ Mr. PowellSince that time, as I think the hon. Member is aware, the amount available has been increased. The work which is going on also refers to the allocation for the coming year.