To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what information he has on the number of general practitioners in the area covered by the Nottingham district health authority in 1979 and the latest date for which figures are available; and if he will estimate the corresponding change in costs.

The information requested is collected from family practitioner committees which are not necessarily conterminous with health authority boundaries. The number of unrestricted general medical practitioners in the area covered by Nottingham family practitioner committee (which includes Nottingham DHA) has risen from 403 at 1 October 1979 to 464 as at 1 October 1986, the latest date for which figures are available. Information about the corresponding change in costs is not available centrally.