§ 28. Mr. Viantasked the Minister of Health whether, when issuing regulations in connection with the Midwives Act, he instructed the medical officers of health when making appointments to confine such appointments to those who possess a certificate in midwifery and also the certificate of a State registered nurse?
§ Sir K. WoodThe Midwives Act, 1936, does not empower me to issue regulations with regard to the qualifications of midwives to be appointed under the Act. In the circular which I addressed to local supervising authorities on 18th September last I drew attention to the importance of absorbing into the new service as many as possible of the independent midwives, at present in practice, and the circular made no suggestion that appointments should be confined to midwives who are State registered nurses. I should deprecate any such limitation in the case of the appointments first made by local supervising authorities under the Act.
§ Mr. ViantMay I bring to the notice of the right hon. Gentleman instances which have occurred, and may I speak to him about the matter?
§ Sir K. WoodI shall be glad to receive and to consider them.