§ Mr. Pavittasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will refrain from introducing any proposals which would permit any lowering of the qualification requirement for those appointed to senior posts in the medical laboratory service of the NHS, namely, that they possess the Fellowship of the Institute of Medical Laboratory Sciences, either now or in the future; and if he will make a statement;
(2) whether the will examine the arrangements within his Department on how advice is tendered on what qualification is appropriate for those engaged in senior posts in the medical laboratory service within the National Health Service, so as to ensure that expert advice on these matters is always available to his Department.
§ Mr. DeakinsI would refer my hon. Friend to the replies given to him on Thursday 13th May and to the right hon. Member for Wanstead and Woodford (Mr. Jenkin) on Wednesday 16th June.—[Vol. 911, c. 237; Vol. 913, c. 198–9.]
§ Mr. Pavittasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what evidence his Department has in respect of the medical laboratory service in the National Health Service upon which to base the view put forward in discussions with the Institute
528Wing for each present member State of the EEC for each year since 1960 the number of doctors per 1,000 population.
§ Dr. OwenComplete statistics in the form required are not available. The following figures, derived from statistics published by the World Health Organisation, are taken from the EEC Commission's Report on the Development of the Social Situation in the Communities in 1975:
of Medical Laboratory Sciences that, in future, the majority of medical laboratory technicians will not be required to undertake work necessitating formal training beyond State registration level; and if he will publish any such evidence in the Official Report.
§ Mr. DeakinsAbout a third of registered technicians currently hold the Fellowship of the Institute of Medical Laboratory Sciences, and the Department has so far received no evidence that the demand for technicians trained to this level is likely to increase significantly. A further discussion with the institute is to take place shortly.