asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what discussions he has had with the medical profession on the proposals contained in the Green Paper " Income During Initial Sickness: A New Strategy "; what response he has had from the medical profession and its representatives since the publication of the Green Paper; and what steps he will take to ensure the confidentiality of patients' medical records and history in the light of the proposals of the Green Paper;
expenditure survey 1979—on NHS hospital services and on local authority personal social services day and residential facilities for the mentally-ill. Expenditure on other personal social services, for example, social workers, is not available centrally in a form that permits assessment of the proportion going on any particular client group.
(2) what consideration he has given to the administrative duties to be placed on general practitioners in the light of the proposals of the Green Paper " Income During Initial Sickness: A New Strategy "; if he will meet representatives of the medical profession in order to discuss these proposals; and if he will make a statement.
Officials of the Department met representatives of the medical profession yesterday in order to discuss and clarify certain aspects of the Green Paper proposals, including those mentioned in the hon. Member's questions, and I shall also be meeting them myself in due course.