§ 27. Mr. Quintin Hoggasked the Secretary of State for War why it has been found necessary to apply the five year period of service to army nursing sisters and to no other class of women serving with His Majesty's Forces.
§ Sir J. GriggI regret as much as the hon. Member the necessity for keeping nursing sisters abroad for so long. This is due to the shortage of nursing sisters in this country to take the place of those overseas. Five-sixths of the Army Nursing Services are serving abroad and of the members here many are not fit for service overseas or have only lately returned to this country. I should like to take this opportunity to pay a tribute to the members of this Service. They carry out without complaint their prolonged and arduous duties overseas and in many cases when they are brought back to this country they volunteer for a further tour abroad.
§ Mr. HoggHaving regard to the particularly arduous nature of certain theatres of war, would my right hon. Friend consider cross-posting them as between overseas theatres?
§ Sir J. GriggI am bound to say that it is a new suggestion which I have not considered. I will certainly look into it to see whether it is practicable.