§ 71. Sir A. Knoxasked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that 32 trains, each with eight officials of the St. John Ambulance Association, are at present standing idle; what is the weekly cost of these officials; and why the train and the personnel could not be assembled quickly in case of an emergency?
§ Mr. ElliotThe casualty evacuation trains, which, owing to the course the war has taken, have happily not been used to a great extent, have hitherto numbered 28, apart from two in Scotland. They are now being reduced to 18. The weekly cost of the orderlies averages about £26 per train. The mobility of the trains and the need for keeping them and their equipment in constant readiness for immediate service, if required, makes it necessary to keep trains and staff continually in commission.