To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the total number of support staff employed by general practitioners in Kent at present; and what the number was in 1979.

The total number of staff qualifying for direct reimbursement under the ancillary staff scheme in Kent increased by 78 per cent. from 1,109 (660 whole-time equivalents) in 1979 to 1,975 (1,116 whole-time equivalents) in 1988. A few general practitioners employ support staff outside the scope of the present scheme; information about these staff is not collected centrally.