§ 22. Mr. James Hamiltonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the present position with regard to the recruitment of nursing staffs in the hospitals of the National Health Service.
§ Mr. MillanThe effective number of nursing staff in Scottish hospitals on 31st March, 1966 was 32,793. This is a higher figure than ever before and represented an increase of 4.8 per cent. over the figure for 31st March, 1965. The national publicity campaign to encourage recruitment is continuing.
§ Mr. HamiltonWhile thanking my hon. Friend for that information, may I ask him to consider giving an overtime payment to nurses, in order to encourage them into mental health hospitals, where they are urgently required?
§ Mr. MillanPayments for overtime are made at the appropriate grades, but the kind of matter that my hon. Friend is now mentioning is really a matter for the Whitley Councils.
§ Sir Knox CunninghamCan the hon. Gentleman give any estimate of the number of student nurses who are going to England for their training?
Mr. MilianNo, but if the hon. and learned Gentleman will put down a Question about this, I will try to give him an answer.