§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what levels of pay have been awarded to midwives, ward sisters, nursing auxiliaries and staff nurses each year since 1979.
§ Mr. HayhoeThe two main midwifery grades, midwifery sister and staff midwife, are paid on the same pay scales as ward sister and staff nurse, respectively. The table shows, therefore, for the period from April 1979 to February 1986, the minimum and maximum points of the pay scales for ward sister, staff nurse and nursing auxiliary.
Pay rates from April 1986 will be determined in the light of the recommendations of the Review Body for Nursing Staff, Midwives, Health Visitors and Professions Allied to Medicine.
Nursing pay scales at: Nursing Sister II (Ward sister) Staff Nurse Nursing Auxiliary £ £ £ 1 April 1979 Minimum 3,888 3,150 2,507 Maximum 4,949 3,813 2,915 1 April 1980 Minimum 5,309 4,198 2,965 Maximum 6,807 5,119 3,790 1 April 1981 Minimum 5,628 4,450 3,143 Maximum 7,215 5,426 4,017 23 August 1982 Minimum 6,321 4,998 3,530 Maximum 8,103 6,094 4,512 1 April 1984 Minimum 6,827 5,398 3,777 Maximum 8,751 6,582 4,828 1 April 1985 Minimum 7,220 5,708 3,950 Maximum 9,254 6,960 5,069 1 February 1986 Minimum 7,480 6,000 3,950 Maximum 10,000 7,175 5,120
§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many qualified midwives there have been, and what proportion of them practised, in each year since 1979.
§ Mr. HayhoeInformation of this nature is collected by the United Kingdom Central Council (UKCC) for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting and its predecessor the Central Midwives Board (CMB). However, the register of midwives, which records those618W who have obtained the midwifery qualification includes some midwives who have emigrated, returned abroad, retired, are not in the current employment field or required the qualification for another purpose. For example, a study by the Department's central management services in 1981 showed that 21 per cent. of those entering midwifery training did not intend to practise and a further 26 per cent. were uncertain about their intentions. A ratio of practising midwives to people with a midwifery qualification is not therefore meaningful.
Information as to the number of midwives on the CMB roll/UKCC register and the number declaring their intention to practice is given in the table.
Year ending 31 March Total Number on Midwives Roll[...]Register Number notifying intention to practice 1979 102,998 21,413 1980 107,121 22,304 1981 110,887 23,117 1982 114,690 24,082 1983 n/a n/a 1984 n/a n/a 1985* 167,750 32,585 * The figures for 1985 relate to the United Kingdom and those for earlier years to England and Wales.
§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many staff midwife and staff midwifery tutor jobs are vacant at the present time.
§ Mr. HayhoeI regret that this information is not collected centrally.