Written Answers
The North Atlantic Assembly: Duties Of Uk Delegation Leader
asked Her Majesty's Government:What are the rights and duties of the leader of the United Kingdom delegation to the North Atlantic Assembly.
There is no formal definition of the rights and duties of the leader of the United Kingdom delegation to the North Atlantic Assembly. His main task is to represent it on the Standing Committee which has overall responsibility for directing the activities of the Assembly.
State Registered And State Enrolled Nurses
asked Her Majesty's Government:How many (i) State Registered and (ii) State Enrolled nurses are (
a) currently engaged in the practice of their profession and ( b) not so engaged (either permanently or temporarily) and whether they will give such information both as it relates to the United Kingdom as a whole, and to each of the four countries comprised therein.
Information as to the total number of State Registered and State Enrolled nurses currently engaged in the practice of their profession is not available to the department. The latest detailed information of the number of qualified nursing and midwifery staff employed in the NHS is set out in the table below.
| Number of Qualified nursing and midwifery staff(1)(2) employed in the National Health Service—30th September 1980 | |
| England | 233,046 |
| Wales | 15,786 |
| Scotland | 32,760 |
| Northern Ireland(3) | 11,942 |
| United Kingdom | 293,534 |
| (1)Excluding agency staff, and those undertaking a post-registration and post enrolment training; | |
| (2)Includes some midwives who are not additionally registered or enrolled nurses; | |
| (3)At 31st December 1980. | |
The only information available as to the number of such nurses who are not currently engaged in the practice of their profession is of the number of qualified nursing and midwifery staff who are registered unemployed. The latest figures supplied by the Department of Employment are set out in the table below.
Number of qualified nursing and midwifery staff registered as unemployed—March 1982 | |
| England | 5,977 |
| Wales | 582 |
| Scotland | 954 |
| Northern Ireland | 528 |
| United Kingdom | 8,041 |
asked Her Majesty's Government:What was the total number of State Registered and State Enrolled nurses who qualified in the year ending 31st December 1976, what is their best estimate of the proportion of those who so qualified who are still engaged in the practice of their profession.
Figures supplied by the General Nursing Council for England and Wales show that during the year ending 31st March 1977 (the nearest available date) there were 17,274 additions to all parts of the register and 9,630 to the roll. Information on which an estimate could be made of the proportion of those nurses who are still engaged in the practice of their profession is not available centrally.
asked Her Majesty's Government:What is their best estimate of the total number of State Registered and State Enrolled nurses who for any reason ceased to practise their profession in the last year for which it is possible to estimate such figures.
Information on which an estimate could be made of the number of State Registered Nurses and State Enrolled Nurses who cease to practise their profession in any given year is not available centrally.
Hms "Sheffield" And "Hercules": Defensive Systems
asked Her Majesty's Government:What passive anti-missile jamming equipment was carried by HMS "Sheffield", whether any such equipment is carried by the British built Argentine destroyer "Hercules", and if so whether it is British made.
Like all our major warships HMS "Sheffield" was fitted with passive defensive systems. Obviously I cannot go into details. When "Hercules" left the United Kingdon six years ago it was fitted with British built direction finding equipment; it is not known whether any additional equipment has been fitted to "Hercules" since leaving the United Kingdom.
West Sedgemoor
asked Her Majesty's Government:When land on West Sedgemoor (Somerset) was first identified by the Nature Conservancy Council as being land of SSSI quality, and how many field drainage and other improvement schemes have occurred on the site since that date.
The Nature Conservancy Council recognised the national importance for nature conservation of 2,500 acres of West Sedgemoor and the need for potential notification of the area as a Site of Special Scientific Interest by mid-1978. Since then, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has received claims for grant on 19 field drainage schemes and on four other schemes for land improvement.
The Civil Service: Short-Term Sickness Absence
asked Her Majesty's Government:How many days absence through sickness the non-industrial Civil Service may take each year without loss of pay, and what was the average number of days lost through this course in 1981.
The noble Lord may have in mind short-term sick absences for which no doctor's certificate is required. Departments have discretion to permit up to 10 days of such absence in any period of 12 months, any days in excess of 10 being deducted from the officer's annual leave entitlement. However, periods of sick absence lasting for more than 5 calendar days must under present arrangements be covered by a medical certificate. Provided there is a reasonable prospect of recovery and return to duty, non-industrial civil servants may receive full pay for up to 6 months of sick absence during any period of 12 months and half pay for up to a further 6 months provided that in any period of 4 years or less the total sick absence does not exceed 12 months. A recent survey by the Medical Advisory Service covering 60 per cent. of the non-industrial Civil Service showed that in 1981 the average number of days sick absence without a medical certificate was 1·8 and that the average number of days total sick absence (i.e. medically certificated and uncertificated) was 11.
The Civil Service: Holiday Entitlement
asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the current holiday entitlement of the various grades of non-industrial Civil Service (including "premium" days following bank holidays); and how much extra has the recent award added to this.
Details of the leave allowances of non-industrial civil servants at 31st March 1982 and of the revised allowances from 1st April 1982 following
| Allowance at 31st March 1982 | Arbitration Tribunal Award at 1st April 1982 | ||
| All Grades up to Clerical Officer and equivalent | 4 weeks on entry | All Grades up to Clerical Officer and equivalent levels | 4 weeks and 2 days on entry |
| 4 weeks and 2 days after 10 years total service | 5 weeks after 15 years total service | ||
| 5 weeks after 15 years total service | 6 weeks after 25 years total service | ||
| All Grades above Clerical Officer but with salary maximum equivalent to and below maximum of Executive Officer | 4 weeks on entry | All Grades at Executive Officer and equivalent levels | 4 weeks and 2 days on entry |
| 4 weeks and 2 days after 7 years total service | 5 weeks after 10 years total service | ||
| 6 weeks after 25 years total service | |||
| 5 weeks after 17 years total service | |||
| 6 weeks after 27 years total service | |||
| All Grades with salary maxima exceeding that of Executive Officer up to maximum of Senior Executive Officer | 4 weeks and 2 days on entry | All Grades at Higher Executive Officer and equivalent levels | 4 weeks and 2 days on entry |
| 5 weeks after 10 years total service | 5 weeks after 10 years total service | ||
| 6 weeks after 20 years total service | 6 weeks after 20 years total service | ||
| All Grades with salary maxima above Senior Executive Officer up to the maximum of Assistant Secretary | 5 weeks on entry | All Grades at Senior Executive Officer, Senior Principal, Assistant Secretary and equivalent levels | 5 weeks on entry |
| 6 weeks after 10 years total service | 6 weeks after 10 years total service |
Civil Service Arbitration Tribunal Award (590) are set out below:
House adjourned at twenty-five minutes past three o'clock.