§ Viscount CURZONasked the Prime Minister whether anything can be done to put members of the Queen Mary's Army Auxiliary Corps, Women's Royal Naval Service, Women's Royal Air Force, and the nursing staffs of the Navy and Army injured by enemy action during the War on the same basis as the Royal Navy, Army, and the Air Force as far as compensation for injury is concerned?
§ Mr. BALDWINAs regards the position of members of Queen Mary's Army 653W Auxiliary Corps, the Women's Royal Naval Service, and the Women's Royal Air Force in this matter, I would in the first instance refer my hon. Friend to the very full answer which I gave on 19th ultimo to the hon. and gallant Member for Bradford East (Captain Loseby) on the same subject. In accordance with the intention expressed in that answer, an official announcement is this day being issued to the public Press, which will make quite clear the procedure for establishing claims or submission of appeals on such cases by members of the three women's corps in question. I may add that I have further arranged for a conference to be held this week between representatives of the various Departments concerned with a view to ensuring that claims, especially for medical treatment, by members of these three women's corps shall be dealt with in a prompt, practical and sympathetic manner, having due regard to the special conditions and circumstances of their service. Cases in which members of these corps have been injured by enemy action are exceedingly rare. Members of the nursing staffs are engaged and have, in fact, been employed under conditions fundamentally different from those of the three women's corps in question; and their claims will be dealt with under the ordinary conditions of the appropriate Royal Warrants.