§ Mr. William Hamiltonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received against the increase in the amount charged to nurses living in nurses' hostels; and if he will take steps to prevent this erosion of recently won pay increases.
§ Mr. CrossmanI have received a small number of representations, most of them before the increased charges were announced. The increases were negotiated by the Nurses and Midwives Whitley Council as part of the recent pay settlement and are much smaller in relation to the pay increases than in previous settlements. To leave lodging charges unaltered would be inequitable since the non-resident majority of nurses have to 231W meet rising costs and would have the effect of reversing the policy of encouraging nurses to live out.