§ 29. Mr. W. Hamiltonasked the Minister of Health how many deaths took place in hospitals as a result of recent troubles in the electricity supply industry.
§ Mr. BarberI know of none.
§ Mr. HamiltonIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the whole country will welcome that statement—with the possible exception of the proprietors of the Sunday Express? Can he say what progress has been made to ensure that all hospitals have an auxiliary alternative supply of electricity generation since the last scare in this context?
§ Mr. BarberThe hon Gentleman would have done better to have expressed his gratitude to all those working in the hospital service who went to great trouble to cope with what in his Question he 28 calls the "recent troubles". In the past year an additional £1 million has been spent on special standby electrical equipment. Nearly 100 generators from central stocks were distributed to hospitals and arrangements were made for some 400 mobile generators to be made available by the Armed Forces.
§ Mr. HamiltonIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that, in view of the Government's attitude to nurses' salaries, the expression of gratitude lies better in our mouths than it does in theirs?