§ Mr. Terry Walkerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he has taken to make sure that family practioner committees invite members of community health councils to attend their meetings as observers.
§ Mr. MoyleMy right hon. Friend has made very clear his view that all family practitioner committees should invite observers from community health councils to the non-confidential part of their meetings. He did so in guidance issued in September 1977 and he stressed this point again when he addressed the Society of Family Practitioner Committees last October. The society was told in February56W that he looked to it to do all it could to bring about arrangements acceptable to both family practitioner committees and community health councils and so make it unnecessary to consider possibilities of mandatory action. This policy has also been commended in this House, and in correspondence with hon. Members and individual bodies.