§ 3.8 p.m.
§ LORD AUCKLANDMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government what facilities are available to hospitals in the event of power cuts which put undue pressure upon their own generating system.]
§ LORD SORENSENMy Lords, detailed guidance was given to hospitals in 1963 and 1964 on the extent of the emergency provision they should make. Arrangements have been made with the Ministry of Defence for the loan of service generators when hospitals are in difficulty, and the number of generating sets in hospitals has been substantially increased. I should also inform the noble Lord that the advice was given in a Technical Memorandum entitled Emergency Electrical Services.
§ LORD AUCKLANDMy Lords, I thank the noble Lord for his reply, but may I ask him whether he is aware that recently in Crawley Hospital an ice cream van had to be brought into service because neither the Army nor any local services could provide sufficient power for 1027 an emergency operation; and would he take steps to ensure that this situation is not repeated?
§ LORD SORENSENMy Lords, I was not personally aware of what took place at Crawley Hospital, though, of course, we all very much regret it. But I am assured that all hospitals where emergency electricity facilities are essential to operating theatres do in fact have such facilities, and that, in addition to that, new hospitals under construction or being designed include the necessary standby and distribution facilities. I believe that over £1 million was spent in 1963, in addition to other expenditure, on emergency arrangements in hospitals, and everything is being done to forestall the calamity such as that to which the noble Lord referred.