§ Lord Wells-PestellMy 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 how many doctors are at present unemployed owing to health authorities cutting back on medical services.
§ Lord Cullen of AshbourneMy Lords, we have no evidence of medical unemployment arising from the reasons specified by the noble Lord. On 11th December 1980, 641 unemployed persons were registered as seeking work as doctors in Great Britain, but there is no evidence that this is due to cutbacks. Health authorities generally are not cutting back on appointments to medical posts.
§ Lord Wells-PestellMy Lords, may I advise the Government—
§ Lord Wells-PestellMy Lords, may I ask the Minister whether I may advise the Government that, if they get in touch with the British Medical Association, that body will assure them that there are 400 doctors unemployed at the moment, that that is due to the fact that health authorities are cutting back on medical services and that the BMA anticipate that between 2,000 and 3,000 doctors will be unable to find employment in the not too distant future?
§ Lord Cullen of AshbourneThe noble Lord has figures I do not have, my Lords, and course some of them are estimates, for example the 2,000 or 3,000 doctors he mentioned. The position at the moment is that at a time of very high unemployment throughout the country the number of doctors who are unemployed, many temporarily, is 6 per cent.
§ Lord Wells-PestellMy Lords, having regard to the waiting lists of people who want to go into hospital and who need medical attention, is it not disgraceful that the Government are admitting to your Lordships that some doctors are unemployed?
§ Lord Cullen of AshbourneNo, my Lords: it is impossible in any industry to have everybody fully employed at any time. Some of these people are moving from one area to another and some of them are unemployed for only very short periods. If only we had the same record of employment throughout the country as we have with National Health Service doctors we should all be very happy.
§ Lord AveburyMy Lords, is the Minister aware that I received a letter yesterday from a distinguished community physician who has been employed, among other authorities, by the World Health Organisation on missions in various parts of the world and that she has been unable to find a job after more than three months of searching?
§ Lord Cullen of AshbourneMy Lords, it would be interesting to know in what specialty this particular doctor was involved. I know it varies in different areas, but I am very surprised at what the noble Lord tells me and perhaps he will let me have details.
§ Lord AveburyI shall, my Lords.
§ Lord LeatherlandMy Lords, the Minister said he would be happy if there were fewer unemployed in the country. Can he do anything to make himself happy by persuading the Government to reduce the number of unemployed?
§ Lord Cullen of AshbourneMy Lords, the Government will undoubtedly reduce the number of unemployed over a period of time when we have got the economy on to a proper basis.
§ Lord Elwyn-JonesMy Lords, is not the use of the word "industry" in relation to the medical profession very curious?