§ Mr. Roy HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will meet representatives of cardiac technicians to discuss their role in health provision in Wales;
(2) what information he has on the relative pay levels of cardiac technicians in each district health authority in Wales;
(3) what representations he has received concerning the pay of cardiac technicians; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. GristAn agreement was reached last year in the professional and technical "B" Whitley council for the introduction by 1 April 1990 of a single pay and grading system for a number of technician groups including cardiac technicians. As an interim measure, from 1 September 1989 cardiac technicians will have been automatically transferred, on the basis of their existing grades and pay codes to a new common pay spine ranging from £4,743 to £14,223. Employing authorities are currently reviewing the posts of all staff concerned in order to assign them to grades in the new structure by 1 April 1990. This review enables management to take account of the individual requirements of the different technician groups with the result that pay levels within each district authority will vary according to the needs of their own 573W services. No representations have been received by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State in this connection and I have no information about grading decisions taken by health authorities in Wales. I would consider that a meeting with representatives of cardiac technicians would be of relatively little value at the present time.