HC Deb 25 March 1963 vol 674 cc930-1
25. Dame Irene Ward

asked the Minister of Health if he will make a statement on the future of the present regulation governing the educational facilities for cadet nurses.

26. Mrs. Castle

asked the Minister of Health whether he will now make a statement on the conditions of employment of nursing cadets.

Mr. Powell

All nursing cadets are allowed one day's educational release without abatement of pay. I am authorising hospital authorities to allow a second day's release without abatement of pay for one academic year to nursing cadets not having the minimum educational qualifications which were recently prescribed for student nurses by the General Nursing Council.

Dame Irene Ward

I thank my right hon. Friend for that statement, but I reserve my judgment on whether it is entirely satisfactory until I have had a chance to consult the appropriate organisations. Will my right hon. Friend, in future, occasionally do things which are right without waiting for pressure from the House of Commons? It would give very great satisfaction to the nursing profession if he did.

Mr. Powell

I often do, but I would not deny that I stand to gain from advice and help which I sometimes receive from my hon. Friend and other hon. Members.

Mrs. Castle

I thank the right hon. Gentleman for this belated concession, but will he tell us what percentage of nursing cadets will be covered by it and what percentage may still continue to have to make some deductions for necessary educational training from their already inadequate salaries?

Mr. Powell

For necessary educational training, none should need to obtain any release without pay; but I understand that about two-thirds of nursing cadets are without the educational qualifications prescribed by the General Nursing Council to which my Answer referred.

Mr. K. Robinson

I welcome the slight step forward which the Minister has made, but why is it limited to one academic year?

Mr. Powell

Because I am advised—and this is a matter on which I must be guided by advice—that nursing cadets lacking this qualification should reasonably be able to acquire it if, during their period as nursing cadets, they have one academic year with two days' study a week for the purpose.

Mrs. Castle

Will the right hon. Gentleman throw a little more light on the educational activities of the one-third of nursing cadets who will not be covered by this concession? Are they, in his view, wrongly seeking extra educational training? If not, why will not he help them by extending the concession to cover them?

Mr. Powell

This is an exceptional arrangement which is, in my view, justified by the educational qualifications now required by the General Nursing Council. It seems to follow from that logically that nursing cadets should have the opportunity, if they lack those qualifications, to obtain them.

Dame Irene Ward

In view of his very interesting reply, will my right hon. Friend say whose advice he is seeking about the one academic year?

Mr. Powell

I am guided by the advice which I received from the education authorities.