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Nurses: Pay

Volume 459: debated on Wednesday 18 April 2007

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the starting pay was for nurses at today's prices in each of the last 20 years. (125389)

[holding answer 5 March 2007]: The starting pay for a newly qualified nurse at 2006-07 prices in each of the last 20 years is set out in the following table.

£

Starting pay cash1,2

Starting pay real terms3

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

1999-00

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.