§ Mr. SymsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will forecast what the average weekly earnings of nurses will be in 1999–2000 using April 1998 prices. [74023]
§ Mr. DenhamBased on the Department's August 1997 Earnings Survey, uprated to take account of pay settlements up to and including 1 April 1999, the estimate of average gross earnings for all nursing and midwifery staff in 1999–2000 is £361 per week (equivalent to £18,800 per annum) and for qualified nurses alone £400 per week (equivalent to £20,800 per annum). It is not possible to express this estimate in April 1998 prices until inflation data are available for the 1999–2000 period.