§ 29. Mr. Newensasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give further consideration to the case in favour of backdated payments for former tuberculosis visitors who were downgraded to staff nurse Status but retired before regrading was recommended.
§ Mr. Deakins:As my hon. Friend is aware, the Government's incomes policy does not allow this regrading to be applied retrospectively to any date earlier than 1st April 1978, and it is not possible to relax for this group of nurses alone the 12-month rule in incomes policy which precludes backdating. There are difficulties about the alternative proposals which have been suggested and which I hope to discuss with my hon. Friend shortly.