§ Mr. George Rodgersasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what percentage of employees is covered by occupational pension schemes in public corporations and private industry, respectively.
§ Mr. OrmeThe provisional results of the 1975 survey of occupational pension schemes by the Government Actuary's Department show that 88 per cent, of employees in public corporations and 39 per cent., of employees in the private sector are members of occupational pension schemes. In the public sector as a whole, 75 per cent, of employees are members of such schemes. A full report of the 1975 survey will be published in due course.
§ Mr. Corbettasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if his Department gives guidance to area health authorities as to the proper level of fees to be paid to medical staff agencies for the provision of temporary medical staff; (2) whether it is the practice for area health authorities making use of medical staff agencies to pay an introduction fee.
§ Mr. MoyleEmploying authorities normally obtain locum cover from medical staff agencies only as a last resort. The Department has not issued general guidance on the use of agencies and the fees to be paid; it is a matter for individual health authorities to decide, in the light of circumstances, whether they are justified in obtaining a locum through an agency. Where medical agencies provide the traditional service of introducing pros-84W pective employees an introduction fee only is payable. Again it is for the health authority to decide whether to use the service.