§ 28. Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on trade union rights for midwives in Northern Ireland.
§ Mr. MossThe joint council machinery, which is responsible for the implementation of Whitley council agreements in Northern Ireland, is to be abolished from 1 April 1995. As in Great Britain, the application of such agreements will be left to management and staff interests at local level.
I have met staff representatives, including the professional officers of the Royal College of Midwives, and they have been given an assurance that their organisations will continue to be recognised by all employers as representing staff on joint council terms and conditions of service. This will include those staff transferring to health and social services trusts. Such staff have their joint council terms and conditions protected.
HSS trusts are, of course, completely free to establish their own arrangements for deciding the pay and conditions of service for new staff.