§ Mr. Michael McNair-Wilsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what percentage of a nurse's take-home pay is related to accommodation costs; and whether he has given any consideration to assisting nurses with their housing costs in areas such as Berkshire where rents are generally higher than in other parts of the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. NewtonA nurse's take home pay depends on his or her individual circumstances, as does the proportion of that pay which is devoted to accommodation costs. Nurses' average earnings have risen by 30 per cent. since 1979, after allowing for movements in prices, including housing costs. The NHS Management Board is encouraging a number of experiments to develop schemes which could be used by health authorities in areas where housing costs are thought to be a contributory factor in staffing shortages.