asked the Secretary of Stale for Social Services (1) if he will give details of the salary structure of hospital pharmacists;(2) what information he has concerning the average rate of pay of hospital pharmacists.

The following is the salary structure of hospital pharmacists in England with effect from 1 April 1984:

	Salary Scale
	Minimum £	Maximum £
Pre-registration graduate student	4,856	(single salary)
Basic grade pharmacist	6,699	8,438
Staff pharmacist	9,286	12,389
Principal pharmacists	12,631	17,029
	16,051	17,711
	17,020	18,681
	17,297	18,959
Pharmaceutical officers	17,020	18,681
	17,297	18,959
	17,575	19,234
	17,851	19,510
	18,127	19,787
	19,234	20,894
	19,510	21,171

An offer made in the Pharmaceuical Whitley Council on 8 November to increase all scale points by 4·7 per cent. with effect from 1 April 1985 is at present subject to consultation by the trade unions concerned.On average, earnings of hospital pharmacists are 1 per cent. above the basic salaries listed above.