§ Mr. Lubbockasked the Minister of Health why increments of pay for additional qualifications are not granted to hospital superintendent engineers.
§ Mr. BarberThe Whitley agreement contains no provision for this.
§ Mr. Lubbockasked the Minister of Health what proportion of superintendent engineers now in the National Health Service are expected to retire within the next eight years; and how far will the present rate of recruitment make good this loss of staff.
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§ Mr. BarberIt is estimated that about half of those in post will retire in the next eight years. I do not expect that there will be difficulty in filling these posts.
§ Mr. Lubbockasked the Minister of Health what proportion of the superintendent engineers now employed in the National Health Service will cease to be professionally qualified under the latest proposals of the management side of the negotiating machinery.
§ Mr. BarberThe number of superintendent engineers now in post who do not possess the qualifications which are to be required for future appointments is not accurately known.
§ Mr. Holtasked the Minister of Health (1) why no agreement has yet been reached on revised salary scales for hospital engineers in view of the fact that negotiations have now been in progress for two years;
(2) whether he will authorise the management side of the negotiating machinery concerned with the salary scales for hospital superintendent engineers to make an improved pay increase offer.
§ Mr. Kitsonasked the Minister of Health when he expects to make a statement with regard to pay increases for hospital engineers.
§ Mr. BarberI would refer the hon. Members to the Answer given to the hon. Member for Orpington (Mr. Lubbock) on 24th March.