asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish in the Official Report a list of family practitioner committees in the North West Thames Region which admit to their meetings observers from community health councils.

I am pleased to say that all seven family practitioner Committees in the North West Thames Region, namely:

• Bedfordshire
• Hertfordshire
• Barnet
• Brent and Harrow
• Ealing, Hammersmith and Hounslow
• Hillingdon
• Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster

admit observers from community health councils to the non-confidential parts of their meetings.I am sending to my hon. Friend a copy of my Department's recent circular commending this practice to family practitioner committees.