§ Mr. Harry BarnesTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many general practitioners there were in(a) 1979 and (b) in the latest year for which figures are available; and what is his estimate of future trends.
§ Mr. MellorThe information required is set out in the following table.
Unrestricted principals in England As at 1 October Number 1979 21,357 1987 24,922 1988 125,322 1 Provisional. The second advisory committee for medical manpower planning, which reported earlier this year assumed a growth of 1.5 per cent. per annum until the early 1990s followed by a decrease of 0.5 per cent. per annum up to 2005. Paragraph 7.22 of the White Paper "Working for Patients" sets out the Government's policy on GP numbers.