§ Mr. Nobleasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what progress is being made in implementing the provisions of the Medical Act 1978.
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§ Mr. MoyleThe timetable for implementing some of the most important provisions in the Medical Act 1978 relating to the registration of overseas qualified doctors is set out in a commencement order, which was made on 25th July and which will be published next week. Under it, the language provisions, in Section 29 of the Act, which require that overseas doctors who are entitled to full or provisional registration under sections 18 and 23 of the Medical Act 1956 must satisfy the General Medical Council as to their knowledge of English, will be introduced on 1st December 1978. Sections 22 to 28 of the 1978 Act, which among other things replace temporary registration with limited registration, allow doctors with limited registration who satisfy the necessary conditions to progress to full registration at the discretion of the General Medical Council, and set up the Review Board for Overseas Qualified Practitioners, will be introduced on 15th February 1979.
It is not proposed yet to make an Order determining the succession day for the reconstituted General Medical Council. In undertaking consultations with those concerned about various aspects of the new council which have not yet been determined, both the Government and the present council are working to a timetable which will enable the new council to take office in the autumn of 1979. The necessary orders will be made nearer that time.