asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what assessment he has made of the financial position of nurses in the National Health Service, with particular regard to their ability, at current pay levels, to obtain suitable accommodation; what representations he has received on this subject from nurses in Berkshire; what discussions he has had with the nurses and midwives negotiating bodies; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he will expedite his consideration of the recommendations of the review body on nurses' pay; if he will make it his policy, in reaching his conclusions on those recommendations, to allow health authorities sufficient flexibility to enable them to implement a higher pay increase in areas where recruitment and retention is especially difficult; and if he will make a statement.

I shall let my hon. Friend have a reply as soon as possible.