§ Mr. WrayTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what the starting annual salary is for newly qualified nurses in and(a) London (b) the rest of the UK; after how 542W long a newly qualified nurse will receive a pay rise; and if he will make a statement on nurses' pay, with special reference to rises they have had since 1997, and pay rises they will receive. [27674]
§ Mr. HuttonThe annual starting salary for a newly qualified nurse working full-time in inner London is £19,178 (including London allowance and cost of living supplements). For staff working outside London and the south of England the annual starting salary for a newly qualified nurse working full-time is £15,445.
Newly qualified nurses normally enter the clinical grading structure on the first pay point on Grade D with annual progression through a further three points until they reach the scale maximum.
We accepted in full the recommendation of the Review Body for nursing staff, midwives and health visitors and professions allied to medicine for pay in 2002–03. From 1 April 2002 all nurses, midwives and health visitors will receive an increase of at least 3.6 per cent. Pay has increased across the board for all nurses by at least 26 per cent. in cash terms since 1997.