§ 74. Mr. R. RICHARDSONasked the Minister of Health why the General Nursing Council for England and Wales has only printed and published in the middle of March, 1923, its first register, in view of the fact that No. 7 of the rules sanctioned by Parliament explicitly states that this shall be issued as soon as possible after the 1st July, 1922, and as soon as possible after the 1st January of the year 1923 and of each subsequent year, and, as this rule gives no sanction for the publication of two registers in the year 1923, on what date will the second register appear; whether, in view of the fact that the first published register has only been 503 issued this month, he will state what authority the General Nursing Council for England and Wales has in sending out notices to registered nurses demanding a retention fee, when, by No. 5 of the rules sanctioned by Parliament, it is only required from a nurse who desires her name to be retained on the register for any year subsequent to the first year in which it is included in the published register; and whether, as this notice was sent from the General Nursing Council offices as far back as August, 1922, and as many nurses have paid whose names are not on first register and who therefore, according to the present rules, are only required to pay this fee on or before the 30th September, 1924, he will, to avoid confusion, direct that all retention fees illegally obtained before the middle of March, 1923, be returned to the registered nurses, especially in view of the fact that the General Nursing Council for Scotland, in the parallel case, has given notice that it does not require a retention fee for 1922 and has, it is understood, returned to its nurses those already paid?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINI am informed that the first register has been printed and published as soon after 1st July, 1922, as was possible. It is the register for 1922. The second register, which will be that dating from 1st January, 1923, is now in the printer's hands. I am informed that no nurses have been requested to pay the retention fee whose names are not on the first register. I have no power to give any direction as to the return of any fees.