Mr. Edward M. Taylorasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the report which he has received from the Glasgow Regional Health Executive Committee about the operation of the emergency treatment service.
§ Mr. RossI have placed a copy of the report by Glasgow Executive Council in the Library. It indicates that the emergency treatment service provides a useful facility for the doctors in the city which almost half of them employ to a greater or lesser extent, that many improvements have been introduced into the service since its inception, and that it now seems to be functioning satisfactorily. I accept this view, but I propose to amend the terms of service of general practitioners to ensure that a doctor can enter into arrangements with a deputising service only if the organisation and procedures of that service have been approved by the Executive Council with which he is in contract.