§ Mr. Carter-Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the length of training for midwives; what plans he has to improve their training so that midwives can undertake the same responsibilities for antenatal care that they do in Sweden and Finland; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MoyleThe Central Midwives Board is the statutory body responsible for the training of midwives. Most mid-
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BABIES BORN IN 1976 WEIGHING 2,000 GRAMS AND UNDER Total live and still births Number Percentage of live and still births all weights Still births per cent. Perinatal mortality rate per cent. Northern R.H.A. Cleveland … … … 196 2.5 19 46 Cumbria … … … 115 2.1 28 46 Durham … … … 118 1.7 12 25 Northumberland … … … 75 2.1 19 41 Gateshead … … … 57 2.1 16 19 Newcastle/Tyne … … … 74 2.3 5 30 North Tyneside … … … 46 2.1 30 48 South Tyneside … … … 40 2.2 25 40 Sunderland … … … 134 3.5 19 10 Yorkshire R.H.A. Humberside … … … 234 2.2 27 42 North Yorkshire … … … 154 2.4 15 36 Bradford … … … 193 2.8 18 32 Calderdale … … … 47 2.1 26 45 Kirklees … … … 126 2.6 21 43 Leeds … … … 167 1.9 15 39 Wakefield … … … 63 1.7 29 41 Trent R.H.A. Derbyshire … … … 198 2.0 22 40 Leicestershire … … … 302 2.8 23 44 Lincolnshire … … … 161 2.5 24 45 Nottinghamshire … … … 313 2.6 16 35 Barnsley … … … 73 2.8 21 48 wives are State Registered Nurses who have subsequently received 12 months midwifery training. The board has proposed this should be extended to 18 months. I see no reason to ask the Central Midwives Board to make any further changes to midwifery training. Midwives are trained to undertake the same range of antenatal care as their counterparts in Sweden and Finland.