§ Dr. Lynne JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Health whether she will review the system for making deprivation factor payments to general practitioners to give a greater role to family health service authorities; and if she will make a statement on the effectiveness of the present system in targeting resources where they are most needed.
§ Dr. MawhinneyThe deprivation payments system recognises the higher workload faced by doctors in deprived areas. As up-to-date data become available from the 1991 census, there will be opportunities to improve the targeting of the payments: we shall need to consider this with the profession and with national health service management, taking account of experience to date.