§ Mrs. FyfeTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make it his policy to publish statistics for the numbers of whole-time equivalent staff in the NHS using the same breakdown as that adopted by the Greater Glasgow health board.
§ Mr. StewartDetailed statistics for staff employed by the NHS in Scotland are published each year in "Scottish Health Statistics". The 1993 edition is due for publication next month. The only extra feature of the data published in the 1991–92 annual report of Greater Glasgow health board is a breakdown into community and hospital categories. "Scottish Health Statistics" includes such a breakdown for nursing, medical and dental staff.
The classification of other staff in this way would require extra coding to be undertaken by the health authorities in order to provide the data centrally. A consultation exercise concluded earlier this month revealed that health boards, directly managed units and NHS trusts sought no increase in the level of data they are required to provide.
There are no plans to collect data splitting staff into the hospital and community categories at present.
§ Dr. GodmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what advice he has issued to national health service employers concerning the payment of unsocial hours allowances for staff.
§ Mr. StewartFor staff whose pay and conditions are determined nationally a variety of agreements has been reached for different staff groups as part of their overall pay and conditions of service package. Details of such agreements are contained in handbooks.