§ Mr. D. FootMr. Speaker, I ask leave to present to this honourable House a Petition signed by 2,653 electors and residents of Colchester. This Petition is in the same terms as that from 10,000 electors and residents of Ipswich, which I had the honour to present to this House two days ago.
The Petition calls attention to the inadequacy of the salaries now paid to nurses and other hospital staff, and to the fact that owing to the recent advances in medical science, the work of nursing has become more arduous and intensive than it was in earlier days, and it points out that an efficient hospital service cannot be built up or maintained without an adequate number of nurses and other hospital staff.
The Petitioners therefore ask, first, for an increase in salaries as a matter of urgency, an increase which should not be limited to 2½ per cent.; and, secondly, for a review of the whole nurses' salaries structure. They express disappointment that two debates in this House during the present year have evoked no satisfactory response from Her Majesty's Government.
| "respecting application of Standing Order No. 29 (Closure of Debate) during Session 1961–62 (1) in the House and in Committee of the whole House, under the following heads:— | |||||
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| Date when Closure Moved and by whom | Question before House or committee when moved | Whether in House or Committee | Whether assent given to motion or withheld by speaker or Chairman | Assent withheld because, in the opinion of the Chair, a decision would shortly be arrived at without that Motion | Result of Motion and, if a Division, Numbers for and against |
§ I think that I should say that I have discussed this matter with the hon. Member for Colchester (Mr. Buck). For reasons which I fully appreciate, he did not wish to present the Petition himself, but raised no objection to my doing so. I am grateful to him for his courtesy. I feel that this week I am very highly privileged. It is not often that a single individual, in the space of three days, can appear for both Ipswich Town and Colchester United.
§
I conclude by reading, according to custom, the Prayer of the Petition, which reads:
Wherefore your Petitioners humbly pray that your honourable House will give still further consideration to the salaries of nurses and other hospital workers and will find means of prevailing upon Her Majesty's Government to reward them more adequately for the services which they render.
§ Mr. BuckOn a paint of order. Perhaps it may be in order for me, as the hon. Member involved, merely to say that this Petition was organised on party poltical lines, without reference to me—
§ Mr. SpeakerThat is wholly out of order.
§ To lie upon the Table.