§ Mr. McQuarrieasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many vacancies for qualified doctors there are in national health hospitals and general practice.
§ Sir George Young[pursuant to his reply, 5 February 1981, c. 196]: At 30 September 1980 there were 1,163 whole-time or part-time consultant, and 235 senior registrar posts without a permanent holder in medical specialties in the NHS in England and Wales—some were occupied wholly or partially by locums; information on vacancies in other hospital grades is not held centrally.
My hon. Friend the Under-Secretary for Scotland, in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Aberdeenshire, East (Mr. McQuarrie) on 5 February—[Vol. 998, c. 212]—gave the number of vacancies in general practice in Scotland and explained that the figures did not represent the total number of employment opportunities. The explanation given also applies to England and Wales. The Medical Practices Committee has given approval to advertise a total of 29 practice vacancies, of which 28 are in areas designated as open, intermediate and restricted. Details of other vacancies are not available centrally.