ON behalf of nurses, midwives and NHS staff in the north Bury area, may I offer a thank you to David Chaytor, MP and our representative of the government.

Thank you for the pay award from April 1, 2007, but not for not yet making the award appear in our pay packets . . . four months on.

Thank you for the below inflation award that the government decided to offer in two stages, as a means of controlling inflation through public sector pay awards, but not for reducing its value even further and for not following Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in paying the award unstaged.

Thank you for this yet to be received pay award, but not for the five mortgage rate rises in the last year which we can't defer or stage, until we get our rise.

Thank you for your understanding and support for NHS staff pay and conditions, but not, for not expressing this by signing the two Early Day Motions signed by over 200 cross party MPs in support of its unstaged payment and against its below inflation value.

Finally thank you, Mr Chaytor for your reply to my letter, but not for all the rhetoric justifying the non payment of the full award.

And for inviting me to meet with you to discuss the matter further, an offer which I will decline.

Instead I will invite you to call on me (and maybe all the other NHS staff in North Bury) the next time you want a cross next to your name.

WALTER BROOKS Burnley Road Bury