§ Mr. Dobsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the procedures he will follow in appointing members of family practitioner committees; and whether he will publish lists of nominations received and the biographical details of both those appointed and those rejected.
§ Mr. John PattenWe shall normally appoint a chairman and 30 members to each family practitioner committee. Those committees relating to more than four district health authorities may have more members. Fifteen appointments are being made from nominations submitted by local representative committees of the family practitioner professions in the area. Four appointments each will be made from district health and local authority nominations. The remaining seven places will be filled from nominations provided by a wide range of organisations and from individuals. We shall appoint the people we consider best suited for the job. A measure of continuity is desirable. Prospective members must have an interest in primary health care and financial, legal, management and personnel experience is also being sought.
Chairmen and members will he asked to provide some biographical details for each family practitioner committee to publish locally. Approximately 7,000 nominations have been received; the details in them were supplied in confidence and it would be discourteous to publish them without the permission of the people concerned. Such permission could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.