Public Health Inspectors

HC Deb 06 March 1961 vol 636 cc16-7

28. Mrs. Slater

asked the Minister of Health what steps are being taken to recruit more public health inspectors.

Miss Pitt

Measures already taken have led to a substantial improvement in the rate of recruitment, which is expected to continue.

Mrs. Slater

Is the hon. Lady satisfied that, in the first place, the salary attracts the right people to this occupation? Secondly, is she aware that most large cities are dreadfully short of public health inspectors and that the Clean Air Act, food and drugs legislation and slum clearance programmes are putting a very real burden on every local authority of any size? Could not this question of salary be looked at again?

Miss Pitt

The salaries were increased as recently as September of last year, and I think that that, combined with the new title of public health inspector as compared with sanitary inspector, is stimulating recruitment. In any event, the figures make the case. Over the last three years the total number of men who have qualified as public health inspectors exceeds, on average, the figure of 200 a year recommended by the working party. The figures are: 1958, 198; 1959, 214; and 1960, 198. I would add that I know that there are certain difficulties in the large industrial areas.