Mr. Steeleasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many certified midwives have lost their employment with local authorities by the extension of facilities under the National Health Service; and what compensation has been paid or alternative work offered.
Mr. McNeilWhile no detailed information is available, I understand that a few midwives in private practice, who at one time were occasionally employed by local authorities on a case basis, lost this occasional employment when the whole-time midwifery service in their areas was reorganised. It was open to the midwives concerned to apply for wholetime posts with local authorities, or in hospitals, but no question of compensation arose because under the National Health Service Act this was provided for wholetime employees alone.