§ Colonel Wiggasked the Secretary of State for War with reference to paragraph 65 of Command Paper No. 6750, whether he can now state what arrangements as regards pay and allowances and retired pay will apply to members of the nursing services.
§ Mr. LawsonMembers of the Nursing Services of the Royal Navy, the Army and the Royal Air Force at present receive rates of pay based on those recommended for civilian nurses in the First Report of the Nurses Salaries Committee (Cmd. 6424). It has now been decided to revise these rates in the light of increases in the rates of pay which have been recommended for application to civilian nurses as from 1st January, 1946. The rates at present in force, and the revised rates, are as follow:
56W
Rank Present Rates. Annual. Revised Rates. Annual. £ £ Sister 105(a) 130(a) 1 year 130 160 2 years 140 170 3 years 150 180 4 years 160 190 5 years 170 200 6 years 180 210 7 years 180 220 8 years 180 220 9 years 180 220 10 years 200 220 11 years — 220 12 years — 240 13 years — 240 14 years — 240 15 years — 240 16 years — 240 17 years — 260 Senior Sister 220 250 1 year 230 260 2 years 240 270 3 years 250 280 Matron 275 300 1 year 300 325 2 years 325 350 3 years 350 375 4 years 375 400 5 years 400 425 6 years — 450 Principal Matron 500 525 Chief Principal Matron 610 635 Matron in Chief Navy and R.A.F. 700 725 Army 730 755 (a) Starting pay may be increased according to previous nursing service.
As in the case of civilian nurses, the increase in pay will be granted in two instalments, the first half as from 1st January, 1946, and the second half as from 1st April, 1947, except that in the rank of Matron and below the new minimum rate for the appropriate rank will be payable as from 1st January, 1946, where this is more favourable. In conformity with the arrangements already announced for H.M. Forces generally, war service increments in payment on 30th June, 1946, will continue in payment, as a "War excess," subject to reduction by the amount of any increases in pay which became due after that date.
The new rates of lodging allowance, London allowance and local overseas allowance will be payable to members of the Nursing Services as from 1st July, 1946, but board and washing allowance will provisionally continue to be payable as at present. Field Allowance will cease to be payable as from 1st July, 1946, Members of the Nursing Services on Indian rates of pay will have their pay adjusted to British rates as from 1st July, 1946, under similar arrangements to those already announced for unmarried officers in the Indian pay code area.
Retired pay for regular members of the Nursing Services.
The future retired pay terms for the regular Nursing Services are under consideration. As an interim measure, pending a decision on the new terms, the existing provision will, in the case of those retiring on or after 19th December, 1945, be increased by 10 per cent. Those who retired on retired pay before 19th December, 1945, and who served during the war, will be allowed reassessment of their awards in respect of their war service on the general lines of the re-assessment scheme which I announced in the House on 15th April. The Pensions Increase Warrants, etc., will not apply to these increased and reassessed awards. It is the intention that the future retired pay terms for the Nursing Services, when finally approved, shall have retrospective effect from 19th December, 1945, and the increased awards and re-assessments referred to above will then be adjusted to the new basis.