§ Mr. BattleTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will reconsider the recommendations of the Social Services Committee in its fourth report, 1988–89, on midwives regrading.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyThe Government gave very careful consideration to the recommendations of the Select Committee and its response was published last year (Cm. 721—June 1989).
§ Mr. BattleTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the Institute of Manpower Studies survey entitled "Midwives Carers and Grading", printed in November.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyThis study was commissioned by the Royal College of Midwives, which has not sought comments from the Department.
§ Mr. BattleTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps he has taken to satisfy himself that the clinical grading structure has been applied to midwifery posts in a fair and consistent manner;
(2) what differences there are in the application of the clinical grading structure to staff midwife posts between the four Thames regions and the other regions in England; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyThe grading of individual posts is a matter for the employing authorities, who are expected to adhere to the agreed clinical grading definitions. These require posts to be graded in accordance with the particular duties and responsibilities they carry. Variations between authorities in the proportion of posts graded at particular levels may arise, for example, because of different approaches to service organisations.