Mr. Gresham Cookeasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether, in connection with the reorganisation of local government in Greater London, he has consulted the British Medical Association about the interests of those public health medical officers whose future will be affected by this reorganisation; and to what extent new Greater London boroughs which have populations under 250,000 will be permitted to take over from the county councils' senior medical officers, with the services at present administered by them, despite the fact that Award No. 2327 of the Industrial Court indicated that senior medical officers could not be employed by local authorities with populations not exceeding 250,000.
Dr. HillMany staffing problems need to be examined in connection with the reorganisation of local government in Greater London and consultations with local authority and staff organisations will shortly be arranged. I am therefore not in a position to answer the specific points referred to in the second part of the question, but they were among a number of matters which have already been the subject of preliminary discussions between the British Medical Association and the Ministry of Health.