§ 49. Mr. Roweasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied that the present financial 156W arrangements for facilitating the removal of National Health Service staff from outside London to London reflect the current state of demand within the National Health Service.
§ Mr. John PattenYes. There are comprehensive general Whitley council agreements providing for payment of removal expenses, an excess rent allowance and advance of salary for assistance with house purchase. Other agreements provide for the payment of London weighting to NHS employees in the inner and outer London weighting zone areas, in a fringe zone and in certain extra-territorially managed units. We have no evidence of any general difficulty in recruiting and retaining NHS staff in the London area.