asked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been called to the fact that because of the retirement of a general practitioner in St. Marylebone and the difficulty of securing a surgery in that area it will be necessary to disperse the practice, causing inconvenience to 3,000 National Health Service patients; and what proposals he has for the provision of the necessary accommodation in such cases.

No decision has been taken to disperse this practice. The London Executive Council have re-advertised it and made it clear in their advertisement that the doctor appointed will have to be prepared to meet problems of accommodation which result from the proposed redevelopment of the area of which the previous surgery accommodation forms part. Seventy-nine applications have been received and are under consideration.