asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will introduce measures to protect the position and to produce a career structure for community health doctors in view of their involvement in running health authority paediatric and antenatal clinics; whether he will consider improving their remuneration by making paediatric assessment part of their contract; and if he will seek to establish an adequate differential above that for nurses.

Circular HC(78)5 emphasised the important long-term future of the clinical medical officer grades as an integral part of child health services and in December 1979 the then Secretary of State reaffirmed the Government's support for the principles set out in the circular. I am now waiting for agreed advice from the profession on training requirements for community health doctors. In the light of that advice we will hold further discussions with the profession on the future career structure. Paediatric assessment is a major part of the responsibilities of most of these doctors. It is for the Review Body on Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration to recommend what their remuneration should be.