§ MR. ASCROFTI beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that on the 14th of January a copy of the Navy and Army Illustrated was sent to every parent of a cadet on the Britannia, containing a photograph of the nursing staff at the Britannia Hospital; whether he is aware that the females in such photograph, attired in nurses' uniforms, were the domestic servants, and not qualified nurses; and whether any, and, if so, what, and on what date, qualified nurses were appointed to attend the cadets of the Britannia when sent to the hospital; whether he is aware that on the Conway and at most of the public schools a qualified medical matron is engaged to look after the sick patients, and due notice given of such sickness to the parents; and whether he will make arrangements that a similar notice shall in future be given when any cadets are invalided at the Britannia Hospital?
§ MR. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINMy right honourable Friend has asked me to give his answer to this Question as follows:—The honourable Member has sent me a copy of the paper referred to. It contains not only photographs of the nursing staff of the Britannia, but also other photographs illustrative of life on the ship. Though without time for inquiry I am unable to say by whom the paper was circulated, I feel confident that it was not circulated officially at the public expense, as the Question would seem to suggest. The photograph represents the ordinary hospital staff including a trained sister and a trained female nurse, the former appointed in 1894, the latter in 1896. Both these ladies had long training in civil hospitals, and were specially selected on account of their fitness for the positions. The impression that there were no female nurses probably arose from the fact that this is the ordinary nursing staff for the ordinary sick quarters, whilst in a separate house, which is opened when required for infectious cases, there are trained members of the naval sick berth staff. Great care is exercised in their selection to secure the best men. Notice of any cadet being sent to sick quarters is always given to the parents. Perhaps 1223 the House will allow me to add, in reference to Questions addressed to the First Lord yesterday, that the following telegram was sent to the captain of the Britannia this morning—
Is there any foundation for complaints as to quality of food?To this inquiry we have received the following reply—No. Absolutely without foundation. — Captain, Britannia.