§ 15. Mr. Cocksasked the Minister of Health whether he will seek to extend the special arrangements with the motor industry by which priority in the delivery of cars is given to doctors and midwives, to district nurses.
§ Mr. BevanThe motor industry has been asked to give priority only to persons whose possession of a reliable car might be the means of saving life. Until the needs of these classes have been substantially met, I do not consider it desirable to press for the arrangements to be extended to home nurses not doing midwifery.
§ Mr. CocksDoes not my right hon. Friend agree that the rapid arrival of one of these nurses may make the difference between life and death, and will he not try to get priority for these people in rural districts?
§ Mr. BevanAs we are still not able to provide motorcars for those classes of cases where the urgency is obvious, we ought not to make it more difficult by adding more priority classes.
§ Mr. Douglas MarshallWill the Minister not only reconsider this matter, but also the fact that in rural areas dentists have to cover a very large territory, and that, in a number of cases at the present moment, their needs are quite desperate?
§ Mr. BevanThat matter, of course, is entirely outside this Question. Dentists do not seem to have any difficulty in reaching their patients at the moment.