To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received about the grading of those post-registration midwives whose courses began prior to 1 April 1988; and if he will make a statement.

We have received a number of representations since the staff and management sides of the Nursing and Midwifery Staffs Negotiating Council agreed in October 1988 on a new provision for staff who entered training after 1 April 1988.The Government have made their position clear in their response to the fourth report from the Social Services Committee 1988–89 "Resourcing the National Health Service: Midwives' Regrading 1988–89".