To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the evidential basis is for the Minister of State's statement on his interview published with the BBC News website on 3 July 2008 that GPs are entering into gentlemen's agreements in order to restrict a patient's ability to change practice. (218304)

The Department has received communications from members of the public citing examples of general practitioner (GP) surgeries that are not willing to accept other doctors' patients and thereby restricting patient choice. We do not consider that these practices are widespread but, where they do occur, they can cause significant concern to members of the public. The General Practitioners Committee of the British Medical Association has recently issued a statement, indicating that it too has been made aware of such examples and urging GP practices to ensure that this unacceptable practice does not occur.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) England were seen by a GP in each year since 1997. (223738)

This information is not held centrally.