§ Sir J. Mellorasked the Minister of Health whether he has considered representations from the Royal College of Nursing, objecting to the salaries of any group of nurses being restricted by maxi mum scales fixed by licensing authorities under Part II of the Nurses Act, 1943; and what action he proposes to take.
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§ Mr. BevanA letter on the lines described by the hon. Member is being considered by a conference of nurses organisations and employing authorities which' has been asked by representatives of licensing authorities to advise them on the conditions which might be attached to licences with regard to the fees to be charged by agencies supplying nurses. The matter is one for decision, not by my Department, but by the licensing authorities, subject to appeal to the courts.
§ Sir J. Mellorasked the Minister of Health whether the Rushcliffe scale of nurses' salaries represents minimum or maximum rates; and whether he will introduce legislation to enable nurses, aggrieved by any scale of maximum salaries fixed by licensing authorities under Part II of the Nurses Act, 1943, to appeal to an independent tribunal.
§ Mr. BevanThe Rushcliffe scales are not minimum or maximum rates but standard national scales to be adopted by employing authorities as a condition of receiving grants. As to the second part of the Question, the Act already enables a co-operation to which the nurses be long to appeal to a court of summary jurisdiction against any conditions attached to a licence by the licensing authority.