§ Mrs. Ewingasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will take steps to ensure that in Scotland the times of the surgeries of medical practitioners will not interfere with commercial and industrial hours.
§ Mr. RossRegulations under the National Health Service (Scotland) Act, 1947 require family doctors in the Service to obtain from local Executive Councils (or on appeal from me as Secretary of State) consent to the times during which they are available for consultation, and to any changes in these times. It is for Executive Councils to secure that the consulting hours of doctors in their area have due regard to patients' needs.