Mr. Gresham Cookeasked the Minister of Health what he estimates would be the annual cost in salaries and wages if the present nursing staff employed by regional hospital boards and teaching hospitals were increased by 50 per cent.
§ Mr. Walker-SmithThe estimated current annual cost of the salaries and wages of nurses employed in Health Service hospitals in England and Wales is about £85½ million; an increase of 50 per cent. in the numbers employed in all grades would therefore cost about £43 million a year.