§ Mr. D. Jonesasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the explanation for the high proportion of vacancies to the establishment of doctors, namely, 21.2 per cent., 16.9 per cent., and 12.8 per cent., in British Guiana, Nigeria, and Trinidad, respectively.
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§ Mr. Lennox-Boyd:The figures of notified vacancies in any territory fluctuate considerably. At present, the figures for British Guiana, Nigeria and Trinidad are relatively high, largely because many of the vacancies have only recently been notified. A further reason is that many of these posts are for doctors with special qualifications, who, in general, take more than the average time to recruit.
§ Mr. D. Jonesasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies to what extent there are still vacancies for doctors in the Colonial Territories, after the 300 applications which he receives each year from qualified doctors already in the National Health Service in this country have been appointed to the colonial medical service and allocated their posts.
§ Mr. Lennox-Boyd:There are generally some 120 to 150 vacancies at any given time, recruitment being roughly balanced by normal wastage and, in some cases, by expansion in territorial establishments.
The hon. Member will realise that by no means all the 300 applicants take up appointments.
§ Mr. D. Jonesasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many of the 300 applicants from whom he receives applications for appointment to the colonial medical service, from among doctors already in the National Health Service in this country, have their applications rejected.
§ Mr. Lennox-Boyd:Of the 300 applicants, approximately 45 are, on the average, rejected. Of the remainder, about half withdraw their applications or decline offers of appointment.
As stated in my Written Answer of 3rd April, 1957, to the hon. Member's earlier Question not all of these applicants are employed in the National Health Service.