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Nurses

Volume 450: debated on Thursday 26 October 2006

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average starting pay for a newly qualified nurse was in each of the last 30 years in real terms. (93947)

The available information is set out in the table.

Starting pay

Cash1,2

Real terms3

1977-78

2,563

11,166

1978-79

2,776

10,890

1979-80

3,368

11,307

1980-81

4,198

11,922

1981-82

4,450

11,537

1982-83

4,998

12,101

1983-84

4,998

11,564

1984-85

5,398

11,866

1985-86

6,000

12,506

1986-87

6,475

13,073

1987-88

7,300

13,955

1988-89

8,025

14,341

1989-90

8,565

14,285

1990-91

9,335

14,436

1991-92

10,230

14,908

1992-93

10,820

15,276

1993-94

10,980

15,108

1994-95

11,320

15,344

1995-964

11,605

15,266

1996-97

11,895

15,138

1997-98

12,385

15,316

1998-99

12,855

15,504

1999-2000

14,400

17,023

2000-01

14,890

17,358

2001-02

15,445

17,587

2002-03

16,005

17,678

2003-04

16,525

17,725

2004-055

18,114

18,909

2005-06

18,698

19,155

2006-07

19,166

19,166

1 Starting pay for a newly qualified nurse is normally the minimum of the grade applicable to basic grade qualified nurses. 2 The grades applicable to basic grade qualified nurses in the years set out in the table are as follows: 1977-78 to 1987-88—staff nurse 1988-89 to 2003-04—D grade 2004-05 to 2006-07—agenda for change band 5. Figures given are for the minimum of these grades in the year in question, including any staged increases. 3 Real terms in 2006-07 prices. 4 The starting pay given for 1995-96 is the rate for non-trust staff. 5 The starting pay given for 2004-05 is the minimum of the agenda for change band 5 scale at the effective date of implementation of agenda for change on 1 October 2004.