§ Mr. Hicksasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether the current pay offer to nurses of an increase of 9 per cent. plus £1 per week in advance of a comparability study includes the June 1978 compensatory payment agreed as part of 1978 nurses' pay settlement and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. EnnalsA June 1978 compensatory payment was not agreed as part of the 1978 nurses' pay settlement. When they negotiated the April 1978 10 per cent. settlement, the two sides of the Whitley council also agreed to discuss the basis for an additional compensatory award—for lack of access to productivity deals. They decided to pursue urgent joint discussions on the basis for a submission which could be made to the Government for such an award. I told the Whitley Council in May 1978 that the current incomes policy contained no provision for a compensatory award of the kind envisaged but said that if it should choose to submit a more general case taking account, for example, of comparability with other National Health Service workers, the Government would consider it in the light of all the relevant circumstances at the time. A general case for special treatment for nurses was submitted to me on 6 October 1978. I received a deputation from the Whitley council on 16 October, and wrote to the chairmen on 4 December confirming that there could be no question of any additional payments in 1978. Other exchanges included a meeting on 24 January 1979 between my right hon. Friend the Prime 641W Minister and representatives of the staff side. The package settlement which has now been proposed for nurses has taken account of the various representations made for them to be treated as a special case.