§ 94. Mr. Roseasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will now make a statement on the negotiations on nurses' pay.
§ Mr. CrossmanNegotiations are continuing in the Nurses and Midwives Whitley Council, which meets again on 17th February.
§ Mr. Roseasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he is aware that the take-home pay of a sister in charge of a psychiatric unit in a large general hospital qualified as a State registered nurse, registered mental nurse, State 21W enrolled nurse, and with additional certificates in neuro-surgery and neurology and casualty, not resident in the hospital, amount to less than £20 per week after 30 years service; and whether he will make greater funds available to the management side of the National Health Service for nurses' pay.
§ Mr. CrossmanTake-home pay would depend on the individual's tax coding but I would expect a sister with 30 years' experience to be at or near the maximum of her salary scale, and this would be £1,490, £1,445 or £1,415 according to the size of the unit. Increases in these salaries are currently under negotiation in the Nurses and Midwives Whitley Council.