§ 5. Mr. Hardyasked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been drawn to the de-grading of certain nursing officials employed by the Lancashire Mental Hospitals Board, due to the introduction of the Rushcliffe salaries scale, which is having an unfavourable effect on the qualified staff who are still performing the same duties as previously and who, by reason of this de-grading, are receiving little or no financial benefit; and if he will take steps to ensure that local authorities are more generous in their interpretation of the Rushcliffe recommendations.
§ Mr. BevanI understand that the point to which my hon. Friend refers has been, and still is, under consideration by the 596 Mental Nurses' Sub-Committee appointed in association with the Rushcliffe Nurses' Salaries Committee, and I do not think I could usefully intervene.
§ 16. Mr. John Lewisasked the Minister of Health whether he has yet received a report on mental nursing from the Athlone Committee; and what action he proposes to take.
§ Mr. BevanYes, Sir. My right hon. Friend the Minister of Education and I have received from the Earl of Athlone the report of the Sub-Committee on Mental Nursing and the Nursing of the Mentally Defective which was appointed by the Athlone Inter-Departmental Committee on Nursing Services. The report, which will be published as a Stationery Office publication before the House rises for the Recess, is a most valuable survey of the whole field falling within the Sub-Committee's scope, and my right hon. Friend and I are deeply indebted to the members of the Sub-Committee. I propose to obtain without delay the views of the various interested bodies regarding the recommendations, many of which would require legislation.