§ 43. Mr. Messerasked the Minister of Health whether any recommendation of the Rushcliffe Committee on the question of transfer of superannuation rights between public and private superannuation funds will be made retrospective; and, if so, for what period?
§ Miss HorsbrughThe Committee have not yet reported on this matter, and I regret, therefore, that my right hon. Friend is unable to make any statement in regard to it.
§ Mr. MesserDoes the hon. Lady realise what that means to nurses who have gone out of the nursing profession into civil defence and have forfeited their superannuation rights?
§ Miss HorsbrughI am aware of the problem, but I hope that the Committee will report soon.
§ 44. Mr. Messerasked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that no mental nurse or observation ward nurse is on the Rushcliffe Committee or sub-committee dealing with mental nurses' salaries; and whether he will either secure their representation or see that they are given an opportunity for submitting evidence?
§ Miss HorsbrughThere are on the Mental Nurses' Sub-committee appointed in association with the Rushcliffe Committee three members of the staff of mental hospitals. My right hon. Friend has received some representations about the position of nurses employed in the mental observation wards of public health hospitals and public assistance institutions and he is in communication with the committee on the matter.
§ Mr. MesserIs it not a fact that the staff to which the hon. Lady refers are not mental nurses?
§ Miss HorsbrughI did not say that they were not mental nurses. As the problem has arisen, a communication has gone out.