1&4 
MAJORITY REPORT 
we would emphasise the need for the desirability of fixing the 
figure over a reasonable period of years, so as to give to all parties 
a settled financial basis for their relations. We cannot think 
that periodical disputes over remuneration are good, either for 
the Profession or for the professional work. Further, new 
entrants to the Profession, and persons contemplating the long 
course of studies now required, ought to be in a position to assess 
the rewards of the Profession for a period of years ahead. We 
cannot but think that if some such stability were assured, the 
advantages would be very great. And as prices now seem to have 
reached a fairly stable level, there is clearly the opportunity for 
some settlement, valid over a period of years. 
429. If the question of the capitation fee is to be re-opened, 
it appears to us that there are two distinct principles which 
may be considered. The Ministry may proceed on past history 
and adjust the fee according to the cost of living and the rates 
in force in the contract practices of pre-insurance days. We 
need only refer in passing to the difficulties attendant upon this 
method—the limited scope of contract practice, its peculiar 
nature, the equipoise of the large volume of private practice, 
which has now in considerable measure disappeared, and so on. 
The other method—and it is one on which the British Medical 
Association has laid stress in its evidence hefore us—is to assess 
the present market value of the services under the contract, as 
measured by the rewards secured for similar services in private 
practice, and the inducements necessary to secure a sufficient flow 
5f properly qualified entrants into insurance practice. We feel 
that it is a little difficult to apply this criterion, as private 
practice among the wage-earning population has been so drastic- 
ally curtailed by the Insurance Scheme. Still the dependants 
remain, and probably there are sufficient data available in 
this way to give a measure of market value. 
430. As we have indicated, we do not feel that it is for us 
to recommend a definite figure. We have had little evidence on 
the point, and, indeed, one of the two parties principally con- 
cerned, namely, the British Medical Association, deliberately 
refrained from submitting arguments, on the ground that the 
problem must be dealt with later by the Department when our 
general recommendations had been received and considered. 
(App. XL/VII, 58-59.) 
ALTERNATIVES TO THE CAPITATION METHOD. 
431. We may direct attention, however, to the method of 
calculating the remuneration for the general practitioner service. 
We come unhesitatingly to the conclusion that the capitation 
basis should remain. We have heard arguments in favour of 
the attendance system, the case value system, and even the full- 
time salaried system. But the overwhelming weight of evidence,