LORD GRENFELLMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the second Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government why removal expenses are payable to assistant matrons in general hospitals but not to the same grade in psychiatric and severely sub-normal hospitals.]
§ BARONESS SEROTAMy Lords, removal expenses are paid where it is in the interests of the service to facilitate movement from one hospital group to another. The types of post to which this applies are defined in a schedule agreed in the General Whitley Council. I understand that the present schedule does not include the grade of assistant matron in hospitals for the mentally ill and the mentally handicapped, because although the same title is used this grade is not equivalent to the grade of assistant matron in a general hospital. The schedule is, however, kept under review and I shall be glad to see that the matter is brought to the attention of the Whitley Council.
§ BARONESS SUMMERSKILLMy Lords, in view of the fact that it is very difficult to recruit young girls for work in psychiatric hospitals these days, would not my noble friend agree that it is very urgent to remove anomalies of this kind, which tend to irritate?
§ BARONESS SEROTAYes, my Lords. That is why I gave the assurance that I did to the noble Lord opposite.