§ Mr. Alexander Wilsonasked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the latest report of the Doctors' and Dentists' Review Body.
§ The Prime MinisterThe Review Body on Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration has submitted its Seventh Report, covering the remuneration of doctors and dentists in the National Health Service. The report is published today as Cmnd. 6800532W and copies are available in the Vote Office.
The Government have accepted the Review Body's recommendations which are in accordance with the counter-inflation policy. The Government wish to thank all the members of the Review Body for their report.
In its report the Review Body has recommended an increase in remuneration for most doctors and dentists of £208 a year payable as a supplement to present rates. The supplement will be calculated as 5 per cent. of remuneration where this produces less than £208. Proportionately smaller increases will be payable to those working part-time. For junior hospital staff, to honour an earlier agreement, payments calculated by the Review Body to be £103 a year on average, are to be made for covering colleagues on annual and study leave and the supplement becomes £105 a year. The increases take effect from 1st April 1977.