§ Mr. Geoffrey RobinsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many general practitioners in Britain with over 3,000 patients on their list are working single-handed;
(2) how many general practitioners in Britain have over 3,000 patients on their list.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyAt 1 October 1990, the latest date for which figures are available, there were 2,585 general practitioners in England with a personal list size of over 3,000 patients, of whom 373 are working single-handed. The information relating to Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland is a matter for my right hon. Friends the Secretaries for State for Wales, for Scotland and for Northern Ireland.
§ Mr. Geoffrey RobinsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will consider amending the regulations to provide that the maximum number of patients for whom any doctor can receive payment is 2,500.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyNo. List sizes have been falling steadily for a number of years, with the average now below 2,000.