§ 54. Mr. Messerasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he is aware of the inconvenience caused to nurses, who are resident in municipal hospitals, by his refusal to allow them the use of their coupons for soap rations; and whether he will mitigate this hardship by authorising the release to them of a proportion of their coupons, thus enabling them to obtain soap of their own choosing?
Major Lloyd GeorgeProvision has been made in the soap rationing scheme for enabling hospitals and similar institutions to obtain supplies of rationed soap to meet their full requirements and in the circumstances it is not anticipated that they will encounter any serious difficulty in supplying nurses and other residents with types of soap suitable for their use.
§ Mr. MesserIs the right hon. and gallant Gentleman aware that that only relates to soap and that nurses are prevented from getting powders and flakes, and in view of the fact that if they were to leave their ration books, they could get them, could he not make some arrangement for this to be done?
Major Lloyd GeorgeI will look into that suggestion, but I am advised that there is nothing to prevent their making arrangements on their own by which all these things could be obtained.
§ Mr. MesserSuch is not the case.
§ 55. Sir Reginald Clarryasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether, in view of the nature of the work of chimney sweeps, he will consider giving them the extra soap ration, as in the case of miners?
Major Lloyd GeorgeAs I have previously stated, the question of soap for certain classes of workmen is being examined and the needs of chimney sweeps will receive full consideration.
§ Mr. McGovernWhite market!