§ Mr. McQuarrieasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will take steps to provide for medical practitioners who are compelled to prescribe drugs and medicines due to the absence of qualified pharmacists in the rural areas of Aberdeenshire, East proper remuneration for the additional work and overheads involved in inducement practices.
§ Mr. FairgrieveThe scale of fees payable to dispensing general medical practitioners in Scotland is negotiated with the profession in the light of the general 337W recommendations of the Doctors' and Dentists' Review Body. I am satisfied that dispensing doctors are properly remunerated for this aspect of their work.
All practitioners in inducement practices receive an inducement payment to bring their total net remuneration, including dispensing fees, up to a " yardstick " figure agreed with the profession.