§ 20. Mr. Prydeasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware that, in towns and cities in South-East Scotland, two persons are deemed necessary to staff an ambulance wagon, whilst in landward areas, the driver has to solicit casual assistance for the collection of stretcher cases; and whether he will make regulations to standardise the practice of carrying two persons throughout Scotland.
Commander GalbraithAs I have explained in correspondence with the hon. Gentleman, I do not think it would be justifiable to incur the expense of providing an attendant in addition to a driver on ambulances in areas where loading operations occupy a comparatively small part of the time the ambulance is in use
§ Mr. PrydeDoes the right hon. and gallant Gentleman not consider it strange that cities should be offered two persons a waggon while in the counties—in one area alone, the Dalkeith and Newton-grange area, where they have now over 40,000 people who suffer from the same diseases and ailments as city people— the ambulance driver has to cadge assistance in order to collect stretcher cases?
Commander GalbraithYes, but the circumstances are different in the Newton-grange area. There are not so many tenements as in the Edinburgh area.