§ Mr. CameronTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to alter the requirement for Commonwealth doctors to take an English language test before practising in the UK, with special reference to cases where English is already the first language of the doctor concerned. [57964]
§ Mr. HuttonThe Medical Act requires such a person to satisfy the General Medical Council's (GMC) registrar that he "has the necessary knowledge of English". We look to the GMC to apply this requirement in a proportionate and non-discriminatory way to each case. We understand that the GMC is to review the way in which it meets its obligations under the Act in relation to language proficiency.