§ 46. Mr. Edwin Wainwrightasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will take into account the decision of the Royal College of Midwives that, for humanitarian reasons, they will not strike or take part in any industrial action in furtherance of their pay claim when deciding on an award for their profession at the same time as dealing with the nurses' claim.
§ Dr. OwenI welcome the opportunity of paying tribute to the loyalty and devotion of the midwifery profession—and indeed of a great majority of nurses—at this time. The pay of both nurses and midwives has been referred to the independent inquiry recently set up under the chairmanship of Lord Halsbury.
§ Mr. Edwin Wainwrightasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what were the numbers of newly-trained midwives during each of the past 10 years.
§ Dr. OwenThe number of newly trained midwives during each of the past 10 years was as follows:
Year ending Number 31 March 1965 … … … 3,556 31 March 1966 … … … 3,616 31 March 1967 … … … 3,703 31 March 1968 … … … 3,398 31 March 1969 … … … 3,702 31 March 1970 … … … 3,872 31 March 1971 … … … 3,876 31 March 1972 … … … 3,749 31 March 1973 … … … 3,539 31 March 1974 … … … 3,770