§ Mr. KirkwoodTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to be in a position to announce final plans to safeguard rural practices from changes arising from the new general practitioners' contract.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythThe 1990 contract for general medical practitioners, issued in August 1989, makes it clear that practices serving sparsely populated areas will continue to be eligible for the inducement practice scheme through which income can be enhanced and that the Scottish rural practice fund, which is kept under continuous review, is considered to be currently well targeted. It is the task of the review body on doctors' and332W dentists' remuneration to advise the Government on the level of remuneration due to general practitioners and it is not possible at this stage to say what view the review body will take.
§ Mr. KirkwoodTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to publish regulations establishing a new contract for general practitioners in Scotland as has happened for England and Wales.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythThe Scottish regulations will be laid before Parliament on Wednesday 1 November 1989.