§ Mr. Russell Kerrasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will now make a statement on the Zuckerman Report on Hospital Scientific and Technical Services.
§ Mr. CrossmanThe House may recall that in a statement on 6th December, 1968 my hon. Friend the Minister of State welcomed the publication of the Zuckerman Report. The principal recommendations of that Report were the setting up of a Hospital Scientific Service to ensure the orderly development of hospital scientific and technical services in support of medicine, together with the creation of a new staffing structure which would reduce the present multiplicity of scientific and technical classes and provide improved opportunities for advancement and promotion. Thus the Committee envisaged an administrative organisation at all levels forming a service which would attract an adequate share of available scientific and technical manpower and provide appropriate training arrangements and career prospects according to qualifications, skill and experience. The Committee saw this as a means of making more efficient use of resources both in the interests of patients and the national economy.
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales and I, having taken full account of the views which have been expressed by a large number of hospital authorities and professional and staff organisations, have decided to accept in principle these main recommendations, subject to detailed consideration in consultation with the staff interests concerned of the proposals on staffing structure.
253WMy right hon. Friend and I will be proceeding forthwith to undertake discussions with hospital authorities and the professional and staff interests concerned on the implementation of the Report's recommendations.
I understand that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland will make a separate statement about the implementation of the Report in Scotland.— [Vol. 774, c. 1961–65.]