§ Again considered in Committee.
§ [Sir ROBERT GRIMSTON in the Chair]
§
Question again proposed,
That a sum, not exceeding £133,080,000. be granted to Her Majesty, to defray the expense of the pay, etc., of the Army, which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1963.
Mr. FootWhen I was so royally interrupted I was about to say that if a Gallup poll, or some other poll, were taken on the matter, the Government might be able to discover accurately how many members of the forces like having 1595 their pockets picked, how many do not know and how many find the transaction positively distasteful.
§ Mr. RamsdenI find it difficult to add to what I have said about pay. The hon. Member for Aberavon (Mr. Morris) tried to put into my mouth words which I believe I did not say and which certainly I did not intend to say. I did not say that all the Services like the present position. That would have been an unlikely proposition to put forward. All I said was that I believe that they understand the reasons behind it and the implications of the pay pause policy, as I believe does the country, although it may not like it. I cannot go further than that.
The hon. Member for Dudley (Mr. Wigg) and my hon. Friend the Member for Cornwall, North (Mr. Scott-Hopkins) asked some further questions about the Ghurkas. I have noted what they said about the employment of these fine troops on ceremonial duties in London. I am sure that it would give general satisfaction if some of them could be seen in the capital. We will see whether something can be arranged during their stay in this country.
The hon. Member for Greenwich (Mr. Marsh) made some comments on the recruitment of nurses. I am glad to say that we are not dissatisfied with this position, although we exact extremely high standards and are as selective as we can be. The figures which he gave for the pay of a nursing private in the Army were slightly misleading when compared with the pay of a nursing orderly in the National Health Service, because the nursing private also gets food, accommodation and all found, whereas the nursing orderly in a civilian occupation has to pay for board and lodging.
I am grateful to the hon. Member for drawing attention to the attractive conditions which we are offering to recruit nurses, and I hope that as a result of his remarks, and the publicity which they may receive, we shall be even more successful in the future.
§ Question put and agreed to.
§
Resolved,
That a sum, not exceeding £133,080,000, be granted to Her Majesty, to defray the expense of the pay, etc., of the Army, which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March. 1963.