§ Mr. Callaghanasked the Minister of Health whether he will accelerate the rate of demobilisation of doctors by calling up newly-qualified medical men when they have completed six months' house appointment, by reviewing the cases of those who have been passed medically unfit and by calling-up those medically fit doctors who have remained in civilian life, although they are in the calling-up age limits.
§ Mr. BevanNewly-qualified medical men are already being called up for the purpose stated in the Question, and others up to the age of 40 are being called up to the limited extent required to provide substitutes for certain medical officers whose release from the Forces is contingent on replacement. The prevailing shortage of doctors in civil practice would not permit a more general recruitment as suggested in the last part of the Question. Any revision of the standard of medical fitness for the Forces would be a matter for the Ministers in charge of Service Departments.