HC Deb 17 December 1953 vol 522 cc556-7
29. Mr. Mellish

asked the Minister of Health what proposals he has for improving the wages and conditions of staff employed as nurses in mental hospitals.

31. Mr. Blenkinsop

asked the Minister of Health what effort has been made to make the rates of pay of trained mental nurses more attractive, in view of the shortage of trained staff.

Mr. Iain Macleod

I understand that the rates of pay in mental nursing, including the rates for trained staff, are being referred for settlement by arbitration.

Mr. Mellish

The Minister will be aware that the Parliamentary Secretary gave an undertaking during an Adjournment debate a little time ago that hospital authorities would be instructed to give increased wages and improved conditions forthwith, but that this undertaking has not been complied with. It would appear that the management side of the Whitley Council argued that these suggested increases should not be given to the fully paid staff. Can the Minister say what line he took with regard to these negotiations?

Mr. Macleod

The hon. Member, who has great experience in this field, knows that it is not proper to go into details regarding Whitley Council negotiations. This matter has been referred to arbitration. The terms of reference are being arranged, and I hope that a speedy settlement will result.

Mr. Blenkinsop

Is the Minister aware that during that Adjournment debate the Parliamentary Secretary gave the impression that, in fact, this matter was coming to an early and final conclusion, and that, indeed, only some two days before that debate, this reference to arbitration had taken place? The offers from the management side did not meet the case at all.

Mr. Macleod

That is precisely why the matter is being referred to arbitration.

Mr. Mellish

Will the Minister be good enough to tell us the terms of reference of the arbitration?

Mr. Macleod

They are at present being negotiated.

32. Mr. Blenkinsop

asked the Minister of Health whether his regulations provide that every year the mental hospital nurse serves counts double for pension purposes.

Mr. Iain Macleod

In calculating the pension of a mental hospital nurse under the National Health Service (Superannuation) Regulations, every year in excess of 20 years' contributing service as such a nurse under the National Health Service is counted as two years. Earlier mental nursing service counts towards this period required before double reckoning is allowable, subject to certain conditions set out in the Regulations.

Mr. Blenkinsop

Is the Minister aware that, again, a rather misleading impression was given by the Parliamentary Secretary in the debate on this subject? According to Hansard, she said that every year served by a mental nurse counts for extra pension. That gives a wholly misleading impression to the country of the advantageous position of mental nurses. Does not that fact strengthen the necessity for giving more speedy attention to the matter of the wages paid to mental nurses if we are to solve this very real problem?

Mr. Macleod

We must certainly look at the whole problem, but I think the hon. Gentleman is making rather heavy weather over the first half of his question. Very many experienced people, with a wide knowledge of mental health problems, were present, and none of them was misled. Indeed, I am informed that my hon. Friend used qualifying words to indicate that there were conditions before the double service counted.