§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what medical bodies he intends to consult while considering his proposal to transfer the public health laboratory service's 52 regional and area laboratories to the administration of health authorities;
(2) what resources he will make available to health authorities to enable them to continue recruitment of well-trained consultants to the laboratories of the public health laboratory service and to maintain a clinical microbiological service, a public health microbiological service and co-ordination for national epidemiological work in the 52 laboratories if they are to administer them in the future;
(3) in which spheres of research the public health laboratory service and the Department of Health and Social Security are currently working jointly.
§ Mr. John PattenI shall let the hon. Member have replies as soon as possible.