It's been a while since the last update on our esteemed mascot, but he has been on top form this week.Yesterday, along with DK's mascot and others, he presented a bill to repeal the European Communities Act 1972. Who needs a referendum when you can just sweep away our membership of the EU with a simple vote in parliament, eh? Bravo!
Its second reading is scheduled for October 26th, at which point I expect it'll be summarily squashed by the might of parliamentarians scared of losing future EU perks and pensions. Still, it was worth a go.
Our Phil has also brought some interesting figures to our attention regarding the NHS.
Philip Davies (Shipley, Conservative)Brace yourself, folks.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people employed in the NHS are earning more than £100,000 per annum.
Simon Burns (Minister of State (Health), Health; Chelmsford, Conservative)Yes, that's three zeroes following the 36. Many of whom are probably on strike today.
Information is not held centrally on the salaries of national health service staff.
The Government Actuary's Department estimate that, as at 2008, 36,000 NHS Pension Scheme members had whole time equivalent pensionable pay of over £100,000.
And what proportion of those highly-paid NHS personnel are front line staff? Over to our Phil again.
Philip Davies (Shipley, Conservative)So, around four to five times more money is spent on non-medical staff than those working with patients.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the total cost was of salaries in the NHS for (a) medical staff and (b) non-medical staff in the latest period for which figures are available.
Simon Burns (Minister of State (Health), Health; Chelmsford, Conservative)
Information on aggregate national health service salaries broken down by staff group is not held centrally.
It is estimated that in 2010-11 aggregate earnings for hospital and community health services were around £7.9 billion for medical staff and around £28.3 billion for non-medical staff, of which, the basic earnings element is estimated at around £5.9 billion for medical staff and around £25.1 billion for non-medical staff.
That's one hell of an overhead the NHS is carrying!
