§ Mrs. BallardTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the numbers of training places, by region, for midwives in(a) 1995–96, (b) 1996–97 and (c) 1997–98. [32830]
§ Mr. BoatengThe information requested is not available centrally.
I refer the hon. Member to the English National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting for the information that is currently available on the numbers of midwifery training places by region.
§ Mrs. BallardTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list for each of the past three years the percentage of expectant mothers who have had a named midwife. [32829]
§ Mr. BoatengIn 1995, 69 per cent. of mothers had a named midwife. In 1996, the figure had risen to 98 per cent. No figure is available for 1997.
These figures are taken from the English National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting 1995 and 1996 annual progress reports "Developments in 677W Midwifery Education and Practice". The figure for 1995 is based on the results of a questionnaire sent to every maternity service in England. The 1996 figure is based on information collected from 54 maternity sites.
Copies of both these reports have been placed in the Library.
§ Mrs. BallardTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many midwives are below F grade. [32831]
§ Mr. BoatengThere were 18,260 registered midwives employed by the National Health Service hospital and community health services in England at September 1996. However, it is not possible to sub-divide this number by clinical grade as the Department's non-medical workforce census, the source of this statistic, does not collect information by clinical grade.