§ 44. Dr. DRUMMOND SHIELSasked the Secretary of State for Scotland, in view of the new regulations for the training of midwives coming into force in May of this year and the difficulty of meeting the full extra costs by increased fees to pupil nurses in the Scottish maternity hospitals, if he will try to secure for Scotland the same grants-in-aid which are promised for similar hospitals in England and Wales?
§ Sir J. GILMOURI regret that I am unable to take the action proposed for the reason stated in my answer to the question put by the hon. and gallant Member for Leith on 15th February. In view of the interest of Members in this subject and the difficulty of dealing adequately with it by the method of question and answer, I have had an explanatory Memorandum prepared which I am forwarding to the hon. Member and which I should be glad to make available to 285 Members interested. At the same time I fully appreciate the special difficulty with which the maternity hospitals may be faced, and am keeping it in view in considering the Report of the Departmental Committee on the hospital position in Scotland.
§ Dr. SHIELSIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that maternity mortality in Scotland is much heavier than in England, that these pupil nurses mostly come from the working classes, and that this increase of fees is probably going to have a serious effect upon maternity nursing in Scotland?
§ Sir J. GILMOURWe are watching the position very closely.