§ Q1. Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Prime Minister if he will appoint an expert on population matters to the Central Policy Review Staff.
§ The Prime Minister (Mr. Edward Heath)It is not my intention to appoint to the Central Policy Review Staff members with responsibility for specified subjects; but Mr. C. R. Ross, who was Chairman of the Population Panel which recently reported, is a member of the staff.
§ Mrs. ShortCan the right hon. Gentleman cast his mind back to the Royal Commission on Medical Education, which sat from 1965 to 1968 and recommended that all medical students should have birth control training as part of their medical education? Is he aware that his right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for Education and Science and the Secretary of State for Social Services have no idea how those recommendations have been carried out or which medical schools provide this kind of training? It seems that there is urgent need for his Mr. Ross to take this matter on board and consider it urgently to see that the situation is improved.
§ The Prime MinisterI would differ from the hon. Lady on her opinion that this is a matter which should be handled by Mr. Ross or by the CPRS. But, of course, I am prepared to consider this matter and discuss with my right hon. Friends how this information could be obtained for the hon. Lady.
§ Sir D. RentonIs my right hon. Friend aware that the Population Panel, in its interesting recent report, recommended that special responsibility for population matters should be given to a senior, non-departmental Minister? Will he take that one on board?
§ The Prime MinisterI was well aware of that recommendation. This is a matter that requires careful consideration, but it also depends on certain other recommendations of the Population Panel and the Government's attitude towards them. As the House knows, the Government are now considering this report carefully. I would add the proviso that, under the present governmental structure, I doubt whether it is right that there should be one specific Minister solely in charge of this matter. But my right hon. and learned Friend is right; this was a recommendation, and it is being considered with the others.