§ Dr. Roger Thomasasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement regarding the extent and distribution of representations received by his Department, regarding delay in the implementation of back pay to August 1979 for the nursing profession, as recommended in the Clegg commission report.
§ Dr. VaughanArrangements for implementing pay awards are the responsibility of individual NHS authorities. The standing commission's report on nurses' pay was published on 4 January. Following detailed discussions in the Nurses and Midwives Whitley Council, a letter authorising payment of the commission's award was issued to NHS authorities on 31 January. It was then expected that most authorities would be able to implement the new pay scales at the end of February and pay back pay at the end of March. I understand that, generally, these dates were achieved.
I have identified one letter dated 30 January from an hon. Member concerning implementation of the award and two other letters from hon. Members received during March complaining that back pay 717W had not been received at the end of February. The Department does not keep detailed records of the subject matter of correspondence from individual NHS employees or members of the public, but there has not been any significant volume of correspondence on this question. Responsibility for the National Health Service in Wales rests with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.