asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied that it is necessary to have three tiers of health service administration; and whether he has any proposals to change the system.

The Government have made clear on many occasions their dissatisfaction with the system and structure of NHS organisation introduced by the previous Administration. But further fundamental changes at the present time would be damaging to patient care and to staff morale, and I intend to await the report of the Royal Commission on the National Health Service before contemplating major changes.