HC Deb 16 October 1941 vol 374 cc1493-5
52. Miss Lloyd George

asked the Minister of Health whether he can make a statement as to the appointment of a committee on the salaries of nurses?

Mr. E. Brown

I have appointed Lord Rushcliffe as Chairman of the Committee which I have set up for the purpose of drawing up, as soon as possible, agreed scales of salaries and emoluments for State registered nurses employed in England and Wales in Hospitals and in the Public Health Services, including the service of district nursing, and for student nurses in hospitals approved as training schools by the General Nursing Council for England and Wales. The Committee will consist of two panels, one representing employers and the other representing employees, of equal numbers. At my request the following organisations have agreed to nominate representatives to serve on these panels:

Employers' Panel. No. of representatives.
British Hospitals Association (in association with King Edward's Hospital Fund for London and the Nuffield Trust) … 6
County Councils Association … 4
Association of Municipal Corporations … 4
London County Council … 3
Urban District Councils Association … 1
Rural District Councils Association … 1
Queen's Institute of District Nursing … 1
20
Employees' Panel.
Royal College of Nursing 9
Trades Union Congress 5
National. Association of Local Government Officers 3
Royal British Nurses Association 1
British College of Nurses 1
Association of Hospital Matrons 1
20
Miss Lloyd George

In view of the acute shortage of nurses and the urgency of the matter, could the right hon. Gentleman say when he will be in a position to announce the names of the Committee?

Mr. Brown

I think, in about a fortnight.

Mr. Messer

Does the right hon. Gentleman not think it desirable to have a representative of the male nurses on the Committee?

Mr. Rhys Davies

Are nurses employed in mental institutions covered by this inquiry?

Mr. Brown

The class of nurses covered will be, as I said, State registered nurses employed in hospitals and in the public health services. Some nurses are already covered by agreements made through the National Joint Council for Local Authorities; others are not.

Sir Stanley Reed

Will the Minister direct the attention of the Committee to the desirability of making a provident rather than a pensions fund which would operate more equitably in those cases?

Mr. Brown

I must leave the Committee, under the terms of their reference, to agree on the best method of dealing with this vital subject.

56. Miss Ward

asked the Minister of Health whether the committee he is setting up to make recommendations with regard to salaries payable to nurses will have powers to make recommendations with regard to nurses employed in industry?

Mr. Brown

No. It would not, in my view, be appropriate to refer to this Committee the salaries of this class of nurse.