Mr. De la Bèreasked the Minister of Health in view of the shortage of midwives and the need for better conditions when the Report of Lord Rushcliffe's Committee dealing with these matters may be expected; whether he can state the total number of State certified midwives and how many of these are practising?
1797W
§ Mr. E. BrownI understand that the report of the Midwives Salaries Committee is likely to be issued in the course of the next week or two. As regards the second part of the Question, the number of midwives on the roll for England and Wales is approximately 67,000, and the number of midwives in actual practice is between 14,000 and 15,000.