§ Mr. Adleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list, for each year since their establishment in their present form, the number of cases brought before family practitioner committees and the percentage found proved or not proved in each year.
§ Mr. MoyleFamily practitioner committees succeeded executive councils on 1st April 1974. Separate figures are not available for the number of complaints brought before these committees for the period 1st April to 31st December 1974. However, during the 12 months ended 31st December 1974, the total number of complaints investigated in England by the service committees of both executive councils and family practitioner committees in respect of practitioners of the four professions involved was 718; in 224 cases—30 per cent.—the practitioners were found in breach of their terms of service. In 1975 the figures were 863 and 245–28 per cent.—respectively, and in 1976 they were 925 and 278–30 per cent., respectively.
§ Mr. Adleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether it is the normal practice for the chairman of a medical services committee to refuse to allow an appellant before a hearing of the family practitioner committee to have more than one person to advise him; and 62W if he will issue a directive specifically allowing an hon. Member to advise a constituent at such a hearing, in addition to any other adviser, or advisers, if the constituent so wishes.
§ Mr. MoyleThe National Health Service (Service Committees and Tribunal) Regulations 1974, as amended, which govern the service committee procedures, do not preclude either party at a hearing from being assisted by more than one person. However, they also give the service committee the authority to determine for itself the procedure to be followed at its hearings. Family practitioner committees and their services committees are independent statutory bodies which take procedural decisions of this nature without reference to me. I cannot therefore say what their normal practice is in this matter.
I will consider the possibility of amending the regulations on the lines suggested in the last part of the Question as part of the general review of service committee procedures in which my Department is now engaged.