§ Mr. Bill WalkerTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what progress is being made towards the establishment of general practitioner funding in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythI am much encouraged by the level of interest in fundholding expressed by GPs in Scotland. I fully expect four fundholders to come into being on 1 April 1991, with a further five candidates later this year.
There are clear signs that many more GPs are interested in what fundholding can offer them. In particular I am aware that a number of practices with less than the minimum patient list size (currently 9,000) would welcome the opportunity to participate in the scheme. I therefore intend to establish a limited number of pilot sites, involving individual practices, to assess the potential for such a development. I shall also be considering the scope for other developments, such as extending the range of services covered by a fund.