asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the patient—general practitioner ratio in the East Midlands.

The latest available estimate for the East Midlands—at 1st October 1973—is 2,510 patients per general practitioner.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the patient/general practitioner ratio in Leicestershire.

Leicestershire and Rutland—excluding, until 31st March 1974, the City of Leicester—form a single unit for the purposes of family practitioner services. The latest available estimate—at 1st October 1973—is 2,452 patients per general practitioner.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if medical practitioners who have not taken the Hippocratic oath are allowed to practise medicine under the National Health Service.

Yes. In order to practise in the National Health Service a doctor must be registered under the Medical Acts 1956 to 1969, but registration under those Acts is not dependent upon taking the Hippocratic oath.