§ Mr. Jim Spicerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the latest position on National Health Service pay in 1982–83.
§ Mr. FowlerMy right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced in his statement on public expenditure on 2 December that expenditure plans for 1982–83 included a 4 per cent. pay factor for the public services. Allocations for 1982–83 to health authorities in Great Britain accordingly include 4 per cent. for increases in earnings from due settlement dates. It remains the Government's view that this is in general an appropriate provision.
The Government recognise the need for pay settlements to take account of market factors, including their effect on recruitment and the retention of certain types of expensively trained staff in the NHS. An additional £81.9 335W million will, therefore, now be made available for some specific groups within the NHS responsible for the direct treatment of patients. This money, which includes the cost of related employers' superannuation and national insurance contributions, will be available to finance appropriate pay settlements for nurses and midwives and for the professions supplementary to medicine, to introduce a new contract for ambulancemen and an emergency duty agreement for hospital pharmacists.
336WTwo-thirds of the additional money will be provided from the contingency reserve and added to the cash limits, and the remaining third will be found by health authorities. The pay of doctors and dentists will be considered in the light of the report of the Doctors and Dentists Review Body later in the year.