§ Mr. Swinglerasked the Minister of Health how many dental surgeons are at present employed by hospital boards; to what extent their rates of remuneration have been increased since the introduction of the National Health Service; and 162W why they were excluded from the regulation granting increased rates of remuneration to members of hospital medical staffs as from 1st April, 1954.
§ Mr. Iain MacleodApproximately 600 dental consultants, senior hospital dental officers and dental registrars and house officers are employed either whole time or part time by hospital boards in England and Wales. The changes recently made in the 1948 salary rates of hospital medical staff followed an agreement reached on the Medical Whitley Council and did not apply to dental officers. However, after consideration on merits of a claim submitted later by the British Dental Association I have approved of the same changes being made from 1st April, 1954, in the 1948 salary rates of the analogous dental grades. Their amount is shown in the statement which I made on the medical agreement on 8th April in reply to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Govan (Mr. J. N. Browne).