asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will include the Junior Hospital Doctors' Association among the organisations recognised for future negotiations on the salary and conditions of junior doctors.

It has always been the practice in the National Health Service for staff interests to settle questions of representation between themselves. The British Medical Association at present negotiates on behalf of all hospital doctors in the National Health Service and I would expect the Junior Hospital Doctors' Association to discuss with it in the first place any question of modifying the present arrangements.