§ 45. Mr. ConwayTo ask the Secretary of State for Health by how many the number of nurses in the National Health Service would have to be increased or cut to achieve the number in the service in 1979.
§ Mr. Freeman[holding answer 21 February 1989]: The total number of nursing and midwifery staff (including agency staff) employed in the NHS in England at 30 September 1987–404,000 wholetime equivalents—would have to be reduced by 21,700 wholetime equivalents to achieve the September 1979 level adjusted to take account of the change in the working week from 40 to 37.5 hours introduced in 1980–81. Taking no account of such a reduction in the working week the reduction required would be 45,600 wholetime equivalents to reach the 358,400 employed in 1979.