§ 37. Mr. Blenkinsopasked the Minister of Health what provision is made in his estimate of National Health Service expenditure for 1956–57 for increases in salaries and wages already agreed or still under negotiation.
§ Miss Hornsby-SmithAbout £2½ million was included to meet the estimated extra cost in 1956–57 of such awards for England and Wales.
§ Mr. BlenkinsopWill the recently announced new award for nursing staff, amounting to about £6 million, be added to the £2½ million referred to, or will it come out of the existing Estimates?
§ Miss Hornsby-SmithIt will have to be added. It was a direct recommendation by the Public Accounts Committee that Estimates should include only those awards already agreed or those so far advanced that the awards were clearly foreseen. The last two awards have not come into that category and will require Supplementary Estimates.
§ Mr. BlenkinsopAs I understand it, the Parliamentary Secretary has said that further Supplementary Estimates will be presented to the House. Is it correct that this will not be squeezed out of the existing Estimates?
§ Miss Hornsby-Smithindicated assent.