§ Mrs. Ann WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will specify the methods used by his Department to determine the number of staff midwives in post in the National Health Service;
(2) if he will specify the methods used by his Department to distinguish between staff nurses and midwives when collecting manpower statistics relating to employment in maternity units.
§ Mr. NewtonComputer tapes are received from regional payroll systems. Those data for staff nurses and staff midwives are then extracted by using the particular payscale and occupation code. The occupation code enables staff nurses and staff midwives employed in maternity units to be separately identified. Information to this level of detail is produced annually as at 30 September.