asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied with the number of general practitioners and dentists in the Walsall area; and how many area health authorities have a worse ratio of general practitioners and dentists per 1,000 of the population.

In 18 other areas in England, at 1st October 1975 the ratio of general medical practitioners to population was no better than in Walsall: the corresponding ratio for general dental practitioners was no better in seven other areas.I am not satisfied with the numbers in Walsall. There are several schemes to improve the distribution of doctors. In some other areas experimental schemes are under way to test a possible means of attracting dentists to places where there is a shortage.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the ratio of general practitioners and dentists to patients (a) in the area covered by the Walsall Area Health Authority, (b) the average for the West Midlands Regional Health Authority and (c) the average for England and Wales.

The numbers were as follows in 1975: