HC Deb 05 March 1996 vol 273 cc183-4W
Mr. Pearson

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the preparation of the day-to-day casework of the Medical Practices Committee is done manually. [18437]

Mr. Malone

The preparation of day-to-day casework of the Medical Practices Committee is a matter for the chairman and members of the Medical Practices Committee.

Mr. Pearson

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made as to whether it is appropriate that the Medical Practices Committee may disperse a patient list regardless of a family health services authority recommendation to the contrary. [18331]

Mr. Malone

Decisions on whether patient lists should be advertised or dispersed are made by the Medical Practices Committee in pursuit of its statutory function to maintain an even distribution of general medical practitioners throughout England and Wales. The committee should take the views of health authorities into account.

Mr. Pearson

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the overall computerisation of the Medical Practices Committee has taken place. [18473]

Mr. Malone

The committee's secretariat has access to the Department's computerised office information system. Further computerisation will be subject to the committee submitting a full business case.

Mr. Pearson

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the cost to his Department of financing the Medical Practices Committee in each of the last five years. [18332]

Mr. Malone

The available information is shown in the table.

Year Budget £
1991–92 408,000
1992–93 358,000
1993–94 357,000
1994–95 394,000
1995–96 383,000

Mr. Pearson

To ask the Secretary of State for Health within what time scale a health authority must present its recommendations to the Medical Practices Committee when a general practitioner post falls vacant. [18349]

Mr. Malone

Regulation 11(5) of the General Medical Services Regulations 1992, as amended, requires family health services authorities to consult with the local medical committee before submitting any recommendation to the Medical Practices Committee on the need to fill vacant posts. No formal time scale is laid down.