§ Mr. Gregoryasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will make a statement on the trend in the number of student midwives;
(2) how many qualified midwives no longer practise midwifery.
§ Mr. NewtonIn recent years there has been a decline in the numbers entering midwifery training in England and information supplied by the English National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting shows that during the year ended March 1987 the number of entrants decreased by 6.8 per cent. to 2,759 compared with 2,960 in the previous 12 months. There has, however, been an encouraging improvement in the proportion passing their examinations from about 78 per cent. in the year ended 711W March 1986 to 95 per cent. in the year ended March 1987. Also information supplied by the United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting shows that the number of newly qualified midwives registered in England continues to increase and in the year ended March 1987 3,820 registered — an increase of 47 per cent. over the previous 12 months. The work load has also changed over recent years and the average number of births per midwife in England in 1985 (the latest date for which such information is available) was 34.1 compared to 37.5 in 1981.