§ Mr. MorganTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has had from general practitioners concerning the fixing of indicative prescribing budgets for the present financial year.
§ Mr. Nicholas BennettNone.
§ Mr. MorganTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proportion of general practitioners in Wales were offered counselling visits by their family health service authority prior to their indicative prescribing budgets being set; and how many such offers were made before 1 April.
§ Mr. Nicholas BennettI refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave him on 23 May 1991. All GP practices will have been offered the opportunity to discuss their indicative amounts with the responsible FHSA's medical adviser. The timing of such discussions would have been a matter for agreement between the medical adviser and the practice concerned.
§ Mr. MorganTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what guidelines he has issued to family health service authorities in Wales concerning counselling services to general practitioners in the run-up to the fixing of their indicative prescribing budgets.
§ Mr. Nicholas BennettA management letter issued to general managers of family health services authorities on 14 February 1991 confirmed that all GP practices should have the right to discuss the level of their indicative prescribing amount with their FHSA's medical adviser on prescribing, in advance of its being set.