§ Mr. Jim Spicerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether she will make a statement on the mutual recognition of doctors' qualifications by member countries of the EEC.
§ Mrs. CastleArticle 57 of the EEC Treaty—The Treaty of Rome—requires 393W the Council of Ministers, acting on a proposal from the Commission, to issue directives for the mutual recognition of diplomas, certificates and other evidence of formal qualifications. No such directives have so far been adopted, but negotiations on proposals relating to the medical profession are relatively advanced. Since the accession of the United Kingdom to the European Community in January 1973, officials of my Department have taken part in the negotiations in a Council of Ministers Working Group and, following full and close consultation with representative organisations in the profession, the General Medical Council, educational interests and other Government Departments, have been instrumental in amending certain aspects of the draft directives to meet the interests of the United Kingdom. We shall continue to participate in the activities of the Council Working Group when meetings resume after the summer break.