HC Deb 16 July 1968 vol 768 cc1229-30
24. Mrs. Knight

asked the Minister of Health what plans he has for overcoming the present general shortage af qualified tutors in the hospital service.

Mr. Snow

I would refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend's reply yesterday to my hon. Friend the Member for Morpeth (Mr. Will Owen).—[Vol. 768, c. 165–6.]

Mrs. Knight

Has the hon. Gentleman reached any conclusion about the possibility of coming to some agreement on the system whereby teachers are paid more to teach in colleges of further education than in teaching hospitals?

Mr. Snow

Not yet, and it would be wrong to pre-empt the findings of the Whitley Council concerned, but its recommendations, if accepted only in part, and I am not certain to what extent they will be accepted, should very considerably improve the salary structure.

Mr. Maurice Macmillan

Will the hon. Gentleman accept that he will not get sister tutors or anybody else in the nursing service unless he is willing to pay the rate for the job?

Mr. Snow

I am not absolutely certain that I should accept advice from the hon. Gentleman in this matter, but he will know that one of the factors involved here is maldistribution. The hon. Gentleman is right about inadequacies in the salary structure. These are matters which we hope will be resolved by the findings of the Whitley Council.