§ Mr. GalbraithTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will make it his policy to provide resources to cover any shortfall revealed in the allocation so far made for the cost of the nurses' pay award; and if he will make a statement;
(2) how much he has allocated to each health board to fund the nurses' recent award in cash terms and as a percentage increase of the nursing salary budget;
(3) on what basis he has allocated money to each health hoard to fund the nurses' pay award.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythThe allocations totalling £83.4 million made to health boards are expected to meet fully the cost of the review body pay awards in Scotland. The allocations to individual health boards were given in my answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Tayside, North (Mr. Walker) on 5 July, col.522. Since the allocations have not been separated into pay increases for nurses and for other professionals, it would not be meaningful to express them as percentages of the pay bill for nurses. The SHARE formula was used for the allocation.
§ Mr. GalbraithTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish the advice he has given to health boards as to how nurse regrading should be carried out in order to keep costs within the cash allocated.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythNo such advice has been issued. The guidance which has been issued to health boards is consistent with the grading criteria and definitions drawn up by the management and staff sides of the nursing and midwifery staffs negotiating council.