HL Deb 15 April 1975 vol 359 cc295-6

2.52 p.m.

Earl FERRERS

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 what is the mileage allowance which general medical practitioners may claim when they attend courses which are arranged through universities.

Lord WELLS-PESTELL

My Lords, the allowance is equivalent to that payable generally in the National Health Service when cars are used in place of public transport. At present, as the noble Earl no doubt knows, it is 2.9p per mile and this is due to be increased slightly very shortly.

Earl FERRERS

My Lords, I am very grateful to the noble Lord for that reply. When his right honourable friend does increase it, will he ask her to increase it by more than the sum by which it was last increased, which was 0.1 of a penny?

Lord WELLS-PESTELL

My Lords, I cannot hold out any hope that it will be a substantial amount. I think I must remind your Lordships that the whole purpose here is to try in some part to compensate those doctors who wish to attend courses and prefer to use their own cars as against public transport. The real purpose is to encourage people to use public transport.

Earl FERRERS

But, my Lords, if one Government Department considers it appropriate to pay 7.7p or 9p. or even sometimes 12p, what can possibly be the justification for paying doctors only 2.9p, or what is so remarkable about their cars that they run so economically?

Lord WELLS-PESTELL

My Lords, I can only advise the noble Earl that this also applies to civil servants. It not only applies to the Department of Health and Social Security but to civil servants. There seems to be a very good reason why the compensation should be what it is having regard to the fact that one wants to encourage people in this sort of matter to use public transport.