asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the recommended fee now payable to doctors for an authorised mental health examination; and what exemptions there are from payment of such a fee.

In accordance with the terms of Section 105 of the National Health Service Act 1977, certain medical practitioners are eligible to receive payment of a fee from the appropriate authority.The amounts payable are:

For consultant or specialist work	£10·80
For medical work other than consultant or specialist work	£9·00

These fees are not payable either to medical practitioners who carry out the examination as part of their duty to provide general medical services for the person examined, or to medical practitioners who carry out the examination, or make a recommendation or report, as part of their duty as officers of a health authority.