§ Mr. John MarshallTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement about the number of nurses employed by the National Health Service.
§ Mr. MellorProvisional figures for September 1988 show the total number of nursing and midwifery staff (including agency) in the NHS in England as 404,000 whole-time equivalents, an increase of 45,000 (12.6 per cent.) since September 1979. The numbers of qualified nurses and midwives continue to increase and in 1988 the proportion was 60 per cent. of the total number of nursing and midwifery staff compared with 54 per cent. in 1979.