asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the ratio overall of administrative staff to medical and nursing staff in the running of the health services in England; and what were the corresponding ratios for 1970, 1971, 1972 and 1973, respectively.

The latest year for which figures are available is 1973. The information requested is as follows:

1970	1:31·8
1971	1:30·3
1972	1:29·7
1973	1:27·8

NOTES:1. These figures relate to the former hospital boards, hospital management committees, boards of governors and executive councils only; information in regard to the administrative staff of former local health authorities is not available.2. The above figures exclude secretarial, clerical and other specialised grades within the Administrative and Clerical Group.

				Whole-time	Part-time	Total whole-time equivalent
1. In hospitals:
(a) Registered nurses	…	…	…	57,214	32,393	76,057
(b) Enrolled nurses	…	…	…	25,772	19,913	39,327
(c) Certified midwives	…	…	…	8,076	4,009	10,475
2. In community services:
(a) Health visitors	…	…	…	6,812	1,360	6,212
(b) Home nurses	…	…	…	10,296	1,674	10,217
(c) Certified midwives	…	…	…	4,855	522	3,735
(d) Others registered and enrolled	…	…	…	2,970	2,075	3,412
Total—1 and 2	…	…	…	115,995	61,946	149,435
Notes:
1. The above figures exclude:
(a) nursing staff employed by Regional Hospital Boards (total whole-time equivalent 100 at 30th September 1973);
(b) agency nurses and midwives employed in the National Health Service (total whole-time equivalent 4,059 at 30th September 1973).
2. Health Visitors and Home Nurses are also qualified as State Registered Nurses.
3. Information about the number who are married is not available.