§ 1. Mr. Huw Edwards (Monmouth)If he will make a statement about the grading of qualified midwives. [57349]
§ The Minister of State, Department of Health (Mr. Alan Milburn)The great majority of midwives are graded E to G and will earn salaries up to £22,255 from 1 December 1998.
§ Mr. EdwardsWill my right hon. Friend join me in applauding the excellent work of midwives, such as those whom I met at Nevill Hall hospital last Friday? Will he work with his Welsh Office colleagues to ensure that midwives working in trusts in Wales receive as a minimum the F grade recommended in England?
§ Mr. MilburnYes, I join my hon. Friend in recognising the invaluable work performed by midwives in the NHS. The Government accepted last year's pay review body recommendations, which urged us to reflect any changes in midwives' roles and responsibilities in the appropriate grade and pay. That message has been communicated directly to all NHS trusts. We expect each and every trust to take that issue seriously but, equally, we expect them to ensure that grading reflects real responsibilities and clinical expertise.
§ Mr. Simon Hughes (Southwark, North and Bermondsey)Given that no Minister was willing to come over to Westminster Central hall three weeks ago to face the 1,000 midwives— [Interruption.] That is quite true. The midwives were clear that a few of them had a meeting in private at the Department, but Ministers were not willing to meet the rally in Westminster Central hall. Given that there is clearly a huge crisis in staffing and morale not just among midwives, but among nurses and other health workers, how much of the £21 billion announced in July will be used to improve the pay and conditions of midwives, nurses and health workers? It is no good modernising equipment and buildings in the NHS without modernising pay and conditions, and paying any salary increase in one go rather than in stages.
§ Mr. MilburnThe hon. Gentleman has made two foolish points. First, my right hon. Friend the Minister for 128 Public Health did meet midwives on the day that they lobbied Parliament and, in addition, my noble Friend Baroness Hayman met the leader of the Royal College of Midwives. Secondly, the hon. Gentleman will know as well as I do that the process for determining pay and conditions for midwives and nurses is governed by an independent pay review body, and its work is now under way. As I understand it, all parties in the House subscribe to that process, as do nurses and midwives. We have submitted our evidence, and the midwives and nursing trade unions have submitted theirs. Our evidence makes it clear that we want to see a fair pay rise for all nurses and midwives which is affordable to the NHS. In particular, we want to see progress on the starting rate of pay for nurses. If we are to do that and to end staging, as we want to, the review body must come up with recommendations that allow the NHS to live within its means.