§ 23. Sir Ernest Graham-Littleasked the Minister of Health whether the part-time scheme for honorary staffs of voluntary hospitals has up to date been offered only to members receiving the higher grade salaries for whole-time services; what is the present number of such officers to whom this scheme has been extended; and whether he will now reconsider the decision to exclude from participation in that scheme members of the honorary staffs of voluntary hospitals receiving second-grade salaries under the Emergency Medical Service who are equally desirous to obtain facilities for part-time service and offer remuneration in the same proportion as that enjoyed by recipients of higher-grade salaries, namely, approximately five-eighths of the whole-time salary now received?
§ Mr. ElliotThe offer to which the hon. Member refers has been made only to officers enrolled in the Emergency Medical Service for whole-time employment at salaries of £800 a year and upwards. Out of 786 officers already serving to whom the offer was made, 488 have accepted, and out of 98 officers not yet called up, to whom the offer has been extended, 48 have accepted. The offer was made in accordance with the recommendations of the advisory committee, but I shall be happy to consider any further representations from that committee in the light of the requirements of the service.
§ Sir E. Graham-LittleWill the right hon. Gentleman expedite this matter, as it is really causing grave dissatisfaction at the present moment?
§ Mr. ElliotWe have accepted the recommendation of the Advisory Committee as a proper representative body, and further representations should come from the Committee?
§ 24. Sir E. Graham-Littleasked the Minister of Health upon the advice of which professional committees he is now relying for measures to be taken regarding the Emergency Medical Service, especially with respect to staffs of the voluntary hospitals; whether he will name these committees in detail and state how far they are interdependent; what steps members of the honorary staffs of the voluntary hospitals should take who feel that they are the subjects of injustice under the arrangements now in force; and what committee they should first approach in making their representations?
§ Mr. ElliotThe Advisory Emergency Medical Service Committee was set up by the Central Medical War Committee to advise me on the conditions of employment of medical staff in hospitals under the Emergency Hospital Scheme. I circulated with my reply to a Question by my hon. and learned Friend the Member for Ashford (Mr. Spens) on the 26th October, a statement, of which I am sending him a copy, showing the composition of the advisory committee, then described as a special committee, and also that of the parent committee. I am sorry that the hon. Member suggests that certain members of the honorary staffs feel a sense of injustice under the present arrangements, which are substantially those recommended by the advisory committee, but it is, of course, open to them to make representations to that committee.
§ Sir E. Graham-LittleDoes my right hon. Friend realise that the list of committees given in Answer to a Question of the hon. Member for Abingdon (Sir R. Glyn) some weeks ago, does not exhaust the list, and that there is bewilderment among the members of the Emergency Medical Service, as to what committee they should consult?
§ Mr. ElliotI am afraid that I did not quite catch the purport of my hon. Friend's Question.
§ Mr. ElliotI do not think so, considering the size of the problem with which we have to deal.
§ 32. Sir E. Graham-Littleasked the Minister of Health whether he will reconsider the allowance made to officers of the Emergency Medical Service with regard to the use of motor cars essential to the work of individual officers, and to bring these allowances more into equality with the rates conceded to civil servants?
§ Mr. ElliotOfficers of the Emergency Medical Service using their own motor cars when travelling on official business are paid the same allowances subject to the same conditions as those applicable to civil servants, and I am communicating details of these arrangements to the hon. Member.