25. Mr. B. Harrisonasked the Minister of Health whether he will put before the Whitley Council proposals for re-assessing salary scales of matrons and their deputies and hospital engineers, other than by the number of beds occupied.
§ Mr. PowellIt is open to the Whitley Councils to make proposals. I understand that the council for hospital engineers is discussing this.
Mr. HarrisonDoes not the Minister agree that very often the number of beds which become empty, particularly in mental hospitals, is a measure of the skill and success of the treatment, and that therefore it is grossly unfair that the officers should suffer through their salaries when the number of beds occupied goes down?
§ Mr. PowellThis is a problem—a very difficult problem—to which a good deal of thought has been given. The trouble is that there must be some relationship between salary scales and the size of the hospital. I shall look forward to any specific proposals which come from the Whitley Councils on this matter.