§ 56. Mr. Pavittasked the Secretary of State for Social Services to what extent, in the event of a successful application to join the European Economic Community, there will be free entry of doctors to practise medicine in the United Kingdom; and whether it will be obligatory for them to have a knowledge of the English language.
§ Mr. CrossmanThis would depend on the extent to which the Community had 17W already agreed on arrangements under Article 57 of the Treaty of Rome for the mutual recognition of qualifications, and for the elimination of existing restrictions on the freedom of doctors to practise throughout the Community. I understand that the present draft for these arrangements envisages a period of adaptation designed to ensure that doctors have an adequate knowledge of the language, as well as of the law and customs of the country in which they intend to practice, but that this is still under discussion.