§ 36. Mrs. Castleasked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the fact that hospital cadets have had no increase in pay since 1957, despite the award to nurses in March 1959, he will amend the maximum scales of pay for such staff in order to enable regional hospital boards to increase their salaries.
§ Mr. Walker-SmithI have this matter under consideration.
§ Mrs. CastleWhile thanking the right hon. and learned Gentleman for his reply, may I ask whether he is aware that it has been the normal practice up to now for the hospital cadets to receive an increase when the nurses receive one but that they missed the last increase which the nurses received? Would the Minister, therefore, give this matter further and sympathetic consideration, because this is an excellent way of recruiting to nursing? We have found in Blackburn that all the cadets up to now have gone on to nursing. If the right hon. and learned Gentleman comes to a favourable decision, will he back-date the payments to the date of the last award made to nurses?
§ Mr. Walker-SmithI understand that there is not an automatic link between the movements in the pay of cadets and those in the pay of nurses, but I will 949 certainly check the history of the matter as the hon. Lady asks, and I entirely agree with her that these girls do excellent work.