§ Mr. Craigenasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many general practitioners contracted to work for the National Health Service are aged over 80 years; and if he feels that it is now appropriate to terminate such contracts at a specific age.
§ Mr. MoyleThere were 53 on 1st October 1977, out of a total of 20,796 general medical practitioners providing general medical services in England as unrestricted principals. They work under contracts for services which do not include any provision for termination on age grounds, though they do provide for appropriate action if a doctor becomes unable to carry out his obligations through disability. I have no proposals for changing these arrangements.