Objective-To ascertain the views of primary care professionals about the current purpose, uses, potential, and workload implications ofthe statutory general practice annual report.Design-Postal questionnaire survey. Setting-General practices in the Northern region.Subjects-All practices in the region that were singlehanded, fundholding, non-fundholding and with more than five partners, and a one in three random sample of all non-fundholding practices (n=318).Results-263 practices responded (83%). The report took a median of 12 hours to produce (95% confidence interval 11 to 15 hours; interquartile range 7-35). The main perceived purpose of the report was to monitor practice activity (165 respondents; 63% (95% confidence interval 57% to 69%I.)), but 44 respondents (17%; 13% to 22%) produced it only because it was contractually required. Practices included statutory and non-statutory data in these reports and would have liked comparative practice activity information (155 respondents; 59%/) and "good ideas" (165 respondents; 63%) fed back to them. Respondents would have liked the annual report used to improve practice development planning (122 respondents; 46% (40/o to 520/)), to facilitate audit (115 respondents; 44%/ (38% to 50%/)), and to influence resource allocation (104 respondents; 40!/o (34% to 460/6)). One hundred and eighteen practices (45%; 39%/6 to 51%) would produce an annual report even if not contractually required.