§ Mr. Lathamasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will make a statement on the industrial dispute involving registrars of births, deaths and marriages; for how long this has been continuing; whether staff are losing any salary for industrial action; and what steps are being taken to resolve it.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeThe registrars of births, deaths and marriages are in dispute with the local authorities about their grading. Some of them began limited industrial action on 5 May 1981, declining to attend marriages on Saturdays or to send in certain returns. A few local authorities have abated the salaries of the registration officers concerned, and in one case the legality of this action is being challenged by NALGO. Neither my right hon. Friend nor the Registrar General are party to the negotiations in this dispute. ACAS has been involved in some of the discussions, but so far no agreement has been reached.
National Health Service—Directly employed staff England and Wales England 1950 1960 1970 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 Medical and dental 26,300 17,300 23,300 35,000 35,900 37,100 38,200 39,000 Nursing and midwifery 157,400 206,300 290,400 343,200 351,000 358,400 370,100 392,200 Ancillary 139,000 171,900 178,200 172,800 172,200 171,900 172,000 172,400 Administrative and clerical 29,400 33,700 50,200 99,000 100,300 103,000 105,400 108,600 Notes
1 Prior to 1971 separate figures for England only are not available.
2. The classification of staff groups in 1950–1970 differ in some respects from later years.
3. Figures for community health service staff are not included in the figures for 1950–1970.
4. Figures for 1950 are number of staff; for 1960 a mixture of numbers and whole-time equivalent staff, and for other years whole-time equivalent only.
5. Figures for 1950 and 1960 are taken from the Ministry of Health annual reports.