§ 25. Mr. Mathersasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware of the injury which will be caused to the nursing service in Bo'ness by the decision to requisition the nurses' home and the failure to provide suitable alternative accommodation; whether the local nursing association were consulted before this action was taken and whether medical certificates in respect of tenants of other suitable houses were tested when doubt was cast upon them?
§ The Civil Lord of the Admiralty (Captain Pilkington)The Admiralty are aware of and regret the disturbance which the requisition of the Nurses' Home at Bo'ness will involve. The decision to requisition the home was made only after consultation with the Town Council and the County medical authorities both of whom were satisfied that alternative accommodation was available for the nurses. Careful consideration was given to the views of the Scottish Branch of the Queen's Institute of District Nursing and of my hon. Friend himself before the decision to requisition was taken. The Admiralty are satisfied that the medical certificates produced by certain occupiers of other properties also under consideration for requisitioning are genuine and that greater hardship would be caused by requisitioning any of those properties than by taking the Nurses' Home.
§ Mr. MathersIs the hon. and gallant Gentleman aware of the general feeling in the town that were it not for lavish and extravagant staffing of certain places occupied by naval officers this requisition, 1198 which will do great harm, would not be necessary?
§ Captain PilkingtonNo, Sir, I am not aware of that general feeling, and I do not feel that it exists there. Certainly the staffing is not on a lavish scale.