asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware of the concern of those doctors who have pioneered good services and established well-equipped surgeries that any exclusion of them from surgery awards may amount to penalising them for their enterprise; and if he will give an assurance that all surgeries will benefit from any scheme introduced.

Under the scheme for improvement grants which has been agreed with the profession all projects started this year will be considered for grant. I regret that it would be impracticable to make grants for projects started earlier.