§ Mr. ShersbyTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his policy for bringing about an improvement in the salaries of cardiac technicians, physiological measurement technicians, employed by the National Health Service; what information he has on the difficulty of recruiting and retaining student technicians due to low rates of pay; and if he will institute a review of the basis upon which this group of technicians are paid.
§ Mr. NewtonI presume that my hon. Friend refers to physiological measurement technicians (cardiology). Their pay and conditions of service are matters for negotiation in the professional and technical staffs B Whitley council and I understand the management side recently offered a 5.5 per cent. increase in pay and allowances for physiological measurement technicians. The staff side is consulting its members on the offer. I am not aware of any reports of difficulty in recruiting and retaining student technicians. The number of students in post since 1979 has increased by over 10 per cent.