§ Dr. Roger Thomasasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has any plans to expand the numbers of mandatory training places for family medical practitioners; whether he is satisfied with selection procedures for such places in the light of the numbers applying exceeding the places; and if he is satisfied with the cost effectiveness of trainers' allowances.
§ Mr. Geoffrey FinsbergNo, though I am aware that there is competition for places on structured general practice training schemes. At 1 October 1981—the latest date for which complete figures are available—the number of approved general practice trainers exceeded the number of trainee general practitioners by a considerable margin and I have no reason to believe the position has substantially altered since. I know of no indications that the procedures used for selecting trainee general practitioners are not satisfactory. The level of the training grant under the trainee practitioner scheme is set in the light of the recommendations of the Review Body on Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration.