§ 9. Mr. Ramsdenasked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the present position of the recruitment of doctors for the Services; and if he will make a statement.
§ 32. Mr. Allasonasked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he is satisfied that the pay of doctors in the Services offers a sufficient inducement to maintain sufficient numbers; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. ReynoldsThe recruitment of doctors for the Services has been unsatisfactory. As regards pay I would refer the hon. Member for Hemel Hempstead (Mr. Allason) to the statement made by my right hon. Friend on 30th May.—[Vol. 765, c. 2163–71.]
§ Mr. RamsdenHas not experience shown that the recruitment of doctors can be maintained only with the help of two factors, co-operation with the B.M.A. and the lead in Service doctors' rates over comparable civilian rates? As neither of these two factors were present before the review, and are certainly not present now, is not the situation very disquieting? What are the Government doing about it?
§ Mr. ReynoldsI would agree with the right hon. Gentleman, but one difficulty is that we shall not know until the autumn what the civilian doctors' rates are to be as a result of the Kindersley Report. Two years ago the B.M.A. decided not to cooperate with us, but I hope that it will change its mind in the near future.
§ Mr. AllasonWill the right hon. Gentleman dare to tell the House the number of doctors who have been recruited up to the last convenient date? Is he aware that many Service doctors would like to get out in view of the disgusting way in which they have been treated by this Government?
§ Mr. ReynoldsIf the hon. Member wants the actual figures perhaps he will put down a Question. There is a shortage of 257 doctors as against establishment in the forces at present.