§ Mr. AshleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will summarise, and place in the Library, the reactions he has received from general practitioner, consultant and nurses organisations to the proposed reform of the National Health Service.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeI have already received a wide range of comments from many people but I expect many more. I will take them fully into account as the process of implementation goes forward. All the organisations have taken steps to publicise their reactions and I see little useful purpose in my summarising their views on which I am sure the Library is well placed to brief the right hon. Member.
§ Mr. AshleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy to treat general practitioners who volunteer for budgets as running a demonstration project and ensure that the proposed reforms are only a framework, not immutable.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeWe are currently considering the detailed operation of the practice budget scheme so that the first practices can have their budgets from April 1991 onwards. We will of course then keep the system under review and make any improvements which are necessary in the light of experience.