75. Mr Murrayasked the President of of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that laundry workers at the Durham County Mental Hospital have never received any additional coupons for overalls; that the work is hard and rough, and they are now being pressed to give up clothing coupons for the years 1943 and 1944, though they have not received any overalls for the years mentioned; and will he consider whether arrangements can be made for all laundry workers to have similar treatment, namely, 10 additional coupons for overalls supplied each year.
§ The Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade (Captain Waterhouse)Certain mental hospital domestic staff with special duties are entitled to receive their occupational clothing on the same basis as nurses; that is, they may be issued with the clothing they need against a fixed annual surrender of six coupons. As far as I am aware, this arrangement has worked satisfactorily, but I will look into the case of the particular laundry workers mentioned by my hon. Friend, and communicate with him further.
Mr. MurrayIs the right hon. and gallant Gentleman aware that some of these people had only two caps and two overalls in 1942, and had to give up nine coupons? Is he aware, also, that for the two years 1943 and 1944 they have already been asked to give up 15 coupons, although they received no overalls for those two years?
§ Captain WaterhouseI was not aware of these facts. We did our best to get in touch with this institution by telephone. We were not able to get all the information we wanted, but I have undertaken to make further inquiries.