HC Deb 19 December 1955 vol 547 c1651
46. Mr. Sorensen

asked the Minister of Health, in view of the recent £25 per annum rise in pay to nurses and the probable increase in charge for furnished accommodation from £52 to £90 per annum, whether he will consider an adjustment of these figures to avoid nurses being financially worse off than they were before the nominal increase in salary.

Mr. Iain Macleod

No, Sir. The new maximum charges were agreed by the Whitley Council.

Mr. Sorensen

If the right hon. Gentleman agrees with these figures—and he has not disputed them—does he not think that it seems rather unfair to give a rise of £25 and then almost simultaneously increase the charges for accommodation by so large an amount? Is it not a Dutchman's rise?

Mr. Macleod

I do not think there is any connection between the two. As far as the charge for furnished accommodation is concerned, the £52 was a fixed amount, the £90 is a maximum, and I do not think it necessarily follows that there will be the consequences that the hon. Member foresees.