Lady Saltounasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they approve of the lobbying methods recently used by certain professional bodies, and in particular those of the BMA.
§ The Lord President of the Council (Viscount Whitelaw)Any professional body affected by Government proposals is entitled to use its own resources to present its case to Parliament and the general public in the manner it considers most appropriate. In the Government's view, however, the recent presentation by the British Medical Association of their opposition to selected list prescribing was seriously misleading, and likely to cause unnecessary public anxiety. I am pleased to add that I understand that the association is now in consultation with the Department of Health and Social Security about the possible introduction of an appeal mechanism for the selected list and the consideration of ways in which prescribing practices might be improved.