§ Lord Molloyasked Her Majesty's Government:
What progress on nurses' pay has been made in the Nurses' Whitley Council.
§ Lord EltonLast December my right honourable friends the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State824WA for Social Services had mettings with representatives of the Staff Side of the Whitley Council. At these meetings the Government's commitment to finding more satisfactory arrangements for nurses' pay was emphasised. We are now anxious to make good progress in developing these arrangements and my right honourable friend the Secretary of State has circulated a paper to both Sides of the Nurses and Midwives Whitley Council outlining possible approaches for settling long-term pay arrangements for nurses. I understand that my right honourable friend the Secretary of State hopes to discuss the paper with the Whitley Council as soon as possible. As for the current pay round, this is, of course, a matter for the Whitley Council which I understand is to begin negotiations tomorrow.