§ Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a further statement on the latest negotiations concerning the Heath Service workers' pay dispute.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeMy right hon. Friend announced in his statement to the House on 23 June—[Vol. 26, c.299–304]—that additional resources had been made available to improve the pay offers to nurses and other Health Service staff. Since then the management side of the Nurses and Midwives Whitley Council has made a revised offer of 6 per cent. for senior nurse managers, 7.5 per cent. for clinical grades and 6–10.4 per cent. for tutorial staff.
The management side of the Ancillary Staffs Whitley Council also has made a revised offer of 6 per cent. to all ancillary staff.
The trades unions affiliated to the Trades Union Congress are insisting on 12 per cent. increases for all NHS staff and other improvements to terms and conditions which would be worth 20 per cent. in all. They have refused to return to negotiations in the light of the improved offers, and have called for three days' industrial action later this month. The Government have made it clear that this offer is final and that the staff sides should return to negotiations and bring the industrial action to an end.