§ Mr. Pavittasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the present pay scales for all grades of nurses together with the comparable value at today's prices of the scales in being in each year since 1975.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeThe hon. Member has chosen as his base year 1975 which was exceptional and which is therefore frequently used by those trying to urge an increase in nursing salaries. The Government cannot accept that nursing pay should be based on historical levels still less at levels set in any one year. So I would urge the hon. Member not to attach excessive significance to the figures he seeks.
However the table shows, for all the main nursing pay grades, the basic salary maxima for the years 1974 to 1984, revalued at December 1984 prices. It excludes the new management grades established for the 1982 restructuring of the National Health Service. The figures also exclude the effect of the reduction in nurses' working hours in 1980/81, equivalent to a further increase of 6.5 per cent. on basic pay.
§ Mr. WhitneyThe future of the state earnings-related pensions scheme is being considered in the context of the social security reviews. Any changes proposed would obviously need to take account of the effects on those already covered by the scheme, but final decisions have not yet been taken.