§ Mr. WrayTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is, for each year since 1975, the percentage of expansion of the number of full-time consultants working for the National Health Service in Scotland.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythThe information requested is shown in table A. This table does not indicate true change in consultant numbers because it excludes consultants employed on maximum part-time contracts (these are normally counted as full-time staff, but separate information about their numbers is available only from 1981). The annual percentage change of full-time consultants, including those with maximum part-time contract, is shown in table B.
Table A: Full time Medical and Dental Consultants excluding those on maximum part-time contracts Years1 Percentage change 1975–76 3.8 1976–77 2.6 1977–78 4.7 1978–79 1.4 1979–80 2.2 1980–81 1.2 1981–82 2.6 1982–83 1.4 1983–84 2.3 1984–85 -0.5 1985–86 0.1
Table B: Full time Medical and Dental Consultants including those on maximum part-time contracts Years1 Percentage change 1981–82 2.2 1982–83 1.2 1983–84 1.5 1984–85 0.5 1985–86 1.0 1 The percentage change given is that between 30 September in the first year and 30 September in the second year.