§ Mr. BaronTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many midwives(a) left and (b) entered the profession in each of the last six years in (a) London and (b) each region; what the turnover rate was in each case; and what the average age of a practising midwife was in each case; [144202]
(2) what the average period was that a midwife had worked in the profession before leaving in each of the last six years, (a) in London and (b) in each region; [144210]
(3) what the average overtime worked by a midwife was in each of the last six years, broken down by region; [144211]
1128W(4) what the three-month midwifery vacancy rates were in each of the last six years in each (a) strategic health authority and (b) Government region area; and how many staff were in post in each case, broken down by (i) whole-time equivalent and (ii) headcount; [144246]
(5) how many and what percentage of midwives working in the NHS were (a) full-time and (b) part-time in each of the last six years. [144287]
§ Mr. Hutton[holding answer 15 December 2003]: Information on the number of midwives leaving and entering the profession, the average period that a midwife has worked in the profession before leaving, and the average overtime worked by a midwife is not collected centrally.
Information on the average age of a practising midwife in London and each region and the number and percentage of midwives working in the National Health Service who were full-time and part-time in each of the last six years has been placed in the Library.
Information on the rate of vacancies for midwives lasting three months or more since 1999 by Government Office for the Region, and since 2002, the first year the data was collected by strategic health authority, and a breakdown of staff in post in each case, broken down by whole-time equivalent and headcount has also been placed in the Library.
§ Mr. AmessTo ask the Secretary of State for Health whether student midwives will continue to have their liability for tuition fees met on their behalf by the NHS, without means testing, regardless of any increase in the level of fee. [144127]
§ Mr. HuttonExisting contracts for midwifery training between strategic health authorities and higher education institutions cover the full cost of training, including the personal tuition fee. The consultation document, "Funding Learning and Development for the Healthcare Workforce", sets out our proposal for a national model contract. It is intended that this contract for national health service-funded pre-registration courses, to be introduced from 1 April 2004, will specifically prohibit the charging of top-up fees to students. If, under the proposed top-up fee arrangements, the existing tuition fee continues to be levied on students, then it will continue to be met by the NHS without means testing.