HC Deb 13 December 1983 vol 50 cc830-1
16. Mr. Galley asked

the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make improvements to the working of deputising services; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Kenneth Clarke

Deputising services are not part of the NHS and family doctors may employ their services only with the consent of the family practitioner committee, which is advised on the professional and ethical aspects of services by professional advisory committees. I am considering ways of strengthening existing arrangements and shall shortly be issuing revised guidance for consultation.

Mr. Galley

Will my hon. and learned Friend indicate what response he received to his letter of July to family practitioner committees? Has he extended those consultations to community health councils?

Mr. Clarke

The response to my letter to family practitioner committees confirmed the response from members of the public and hon. Members of this House and satisfied us that something needed to be done to improve the monitoring procedures and to re-write and improve the guidance. I hope to make an announcement shortly. We have included community health councils, and they too have urged on us the need to improve present arrangements.

Mr. Cowans

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker

I will take the hon. Gentleman's point of order now because he has alerted me to the fact that it is highly urgent. I shall allow injury time for Prime Minister's Questions.

Mr. Cowans

My point of order is vitally important to every hon. Member of the House, Mr. Speaker, and I am not raising a political issue. We are informed by the annunciator that the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry will make a statement this afternoon on the Government's regional economic policy.

At 2.46 this afternoon I went to the Vote Office—as any hon. Member wanting to keep himself informed would —to ask for a copy of that statement. I was informed that it was lying on the shelf, presumably gathering dust, and that it could not be given to hon. Members so that we might read it, fully to appreciate the comments that the Secretary of State will make.

I seek your protection, Mr. Speaker, because these papers should be available so that we may ask questions when the Secretary of State makes a statement. Or does the right hon. Gentleman not want us to know what is in it? [Interruption.] Is that the purpose behind it?

Mr. Speaker

The hon. Member has been here long enough to know that statements by Ministers are never circulated to Back Benchers.

Mr. Bowen Wells

Why not?

Mr. Cowans

I am talking about the White Paper, Mr. Speaker. Why is that not available?

Mr. Speaker

Order. Why not is not a matter for me. Statements are not circulated. I understand that they go to the Front Bench spokesmen concerned but not to Back Benchers.