asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what increase has taken place in the number of doctors working in the public sector since 1974.

I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to the hon. Member for St. Marylebone (Mr. Baker) on 26 January 1979.—[Vol. 961, c. 282–4]. Between 1974 and 1977, the latest available year, the number of doctors in the public sector in Great Britain rose by 6 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what criteria he uses in deciding not to endorse a recommendation by a family practitioner committee that a financial penalty should be imposed on a doctor who has failed to comply with his terms of service.

There are no predetermined criteria and each case is considered on its merits, taking into account all relevant factors including the gravity of the breach of the terms of service, any record of previous breaches, and any aggravating or mitigating aspects of the case. My right hon. Friend takes very carefully into account the recommendation of the family practitioner committee, and recognises that committees themselves make a careful appraisal of the relevant factors: but he also takes into account the need to see that there is a broad consistency, as between one family practitioner committee area and another, in the level of withholdings imposed in similar circumstances.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many complaints have been heard by the Coventry family practitioner committee alleging failure by doctors to conform with their terms of service in the past year; how many of these allegations have been upheld by the committee; on how many occasions a financial penalty has been recommended; and on how many occasions he has decided not to endorse such a recommendation.

In the past year the Coventry family practitioner committee has investigated eight complaints alleging failure by doctors to conform with their terms of service. One allegation was upheld by the committee and in that case a financial penalty was recommended but was not endorsed by my right hon. Friend.