§ Mr. Leadbitterasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give the total nursing recruiting figures for the National Health Service, giving the numbers coming from private nursing agencies and other services, in 1971 and 1972.
§ Mr. AlisonInformation is not available in the form requested but the number (in whole-time equivalent terms) of nurses and midwives in post—qualified and in72W completed discussions on detailed proposals for these centres with the relevant authorities.
§ Mr. Pavittasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will negotiate with the Royal Colleges with a view to establishing oncology as a specialty in its own right, together with a career structure within the National Health Service.
§ Mr. AlisonThe establishment of new specialties is a matter for the medical profession. A small number of doctors in the National Health Service specialise solely in cancer but up to the present none of the Royal Colleges has approved a training programme for oncology as a specialty so the establishment of training posts to provide a career structure has not arisen.