§ Mr. MacdonaldTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what provision has been made in the new general practitioners' contract for the reimbursement of the salary of doctors' wives working in their surgeries;
(2) what provision has been made in the new general practitioners' contract for the direct reimbursement of ancillary staff salaries.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyFrom 1 April 1990, restrictions on the number and type of staff for whom general practitioners may receive direct reimbursement will be removed. Within their cash allocations, family practitioner committees and health boards will be able to authorise reimbursement for whatever staff they and general practitioners consider best for the provision of care in the area served. These new arrangements which are set out in the statement of fees and allowances payable from 1 April 1990 are the same for doctors' wives who work in the surgery as for other practice staff.