HC Deb 31 July 1918 vol 109 cc435-6
77. Major CHAPPLE

asked the President of the Board of Education whether nurses trained in the London Hospital have been appointed to any posts under the jurisdiction of the Board?

Major CHAPPLE

Before asking this question, may I ask, on a point of Order, why the following words were deleted from the question: "Whether he is aware that nurses at the London Hospital are taken from their training in the wards and sent out to do private nursing at the end of their second year, receiving 13s. per week, while the hospital draws not less than 29s. per week profit from their earnings; and whether he will see that no nurses are appointed from hospitals that exploit their nurses in this way"—with those words deleted the question is meaningless?

Mr. SPEAKER

The words were deleted because they were in the nature of giving, not asking, information to a Department which could not possibly have it, and was not responsible for it.

Major CHAPPLE

The point was whether, if they possessed that information in regard to the London Hospital nurses, would they not refuse to appoint nurses who were exploited in this way and who were taken from their training in the wards at the end of their second year, depriving them of the amount of training which they should get in their third year, but which was denied to them in order that they might earn money for the hospital.

Mr. SPEAKER

The Board of Education has no control over the training of nurses at the London or any other hospital.

Sir C. HENRY

Is an hon. Member permitted to make statements in a question, and then repeat them, which are entirely inaccurate?

Mr. SPEAKER

I was very anxious to satisfy the hon. Member. He was dissatisfied with the action I took. I was trying to show him the reason for the action I had taken.

Major CHAPPLE

May I ask the question in this form—

Mr. SPEAKER

In the form on the Paper.

Mr. LEWIS

My right hon. Friend has no information which would enable him to answer this question.