HL Deb 21 July 1965 vol 268 cc717-9

2.46 p.m.

LORD COHEN OF BRIGHTON

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, in view of the shortage of medical graduates, they have given consideration to the hospital development plan in those areas where new universities are located, particularly as those universities which now have a school of biology could be of great assistance in producing medical graduates if the new hospitals in those university areas were wisely sited.]

THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR COMMONWEALTH RELATIONS AND FOR THE COLONIES (LORD TAYLOR)

My Lords, the siting of new hospitals is determined principally in the light of the medical needs of the areas they are intended to serve, and decisions on the establishment of new medical schools can be expected to take into account the hospital facilities which are or can be made available for clinical teaching. The Hospital Plan, however, is not inflexible and can be adapted as may be necessary if it should be decided to establish new medical schools at the new universities or elsewhere, whether as a result of the Govern ment's current consideration of methods of increasing medical student places or of recommendations which may be made by the recently announced Royal Commission on medical education.

LORD COHEN OF BRIGHTON

My Lords, may I ask my noble friend a further question? As the findings of the Royal Commission and the legislation arising therefrom may be long delayed, and as in the meantime plans are being prepared which in many towns, including the town of Brighton, ignore a new university, will Her Majesty's Government reconsider any such proposals so that they may conform to the desire implicit in both the Answer to the Question and the Question itself?

LORD TAYLOR

My Lords, I have already explained that the Government are not necessarily bound to wait for the recommendations of the Royal Commission before making decisions. The Hospital Plan is being reviewed and this is a factor which could be taken into account in the review, but I do not think it would be a decisive factor in the choice. The more usual practice is for existing hospitals to be redeveloped systematically on their present sites.

LORD HAWKE

My Lords, can Her Majesty's Government say whether the facilities for training medical students in this country are adequate to serve this country and also the under-developed countries of the world for which we have some responsibility?

LORD TAYLOR

My Lords, the answer is that they are not adequate but they are becoming more adequate fairly quickly.

LORD BROWN

My Lords, is my noble friend aware that one of the new universities is being built on the same site as an existing large hospital, that the hospital committee have approached the university with the idea of building together a medical school, but that official approval to further discussions has so far been refused?

LORD TAYLOR

My Lords, I was not aware of this particular event, but I should be glad to have the information if my noble friend would give it to me.

LORD SEGAL

My Lords, will my noble friend take additional steps to retain the services of medical graduates who are already experienced in medical practice, rather than to let loose on the public new graduates who have yet to acquire that experience?

LORD TAYLOR

My Lords, I am not quite clear what my noble friend has in mind.

LORD SEGAL

My Lords, will my noble friend take active steps to prevent the existing emigration of doctors who are already in the public service?

LORD TAYLOR

My Lords, that is really another question, outside the scope of the one I have been asked.