§ Sir E. Graham-Littleasked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that much dissatisfaction exists with the constitution of local emergency committees for the nursing profession in the Civil Nursing Reserve; that, in several areas, the committees are irregularly constituted and are not representative of the nursing profession; whether he will institute certain reforms so as to secure that not more than one matron shall represent the matrons of hospitals under the local authority; that hospital nurses in the area shall have the right to elect one trained nurse; that the commandants of the British Red Cross Society and St. John Ambulance Brigade shall be ex-officio members of the committee; that no medical practitioner and no local organiser shall be eligible; and that no member shall be paid or receive any emolument?
§ Mr. E. BrownI am not aware of any dissatisfaction or irregularities such as my hon. Friend suggests. A substantial discretion was left to the local authorities to consider what is the most suitable local machinery. The services of members of the Committees are given voluntarily, but some organisers who have been selected from the members of the Committee are paid small salaries for their work of organisation. The local emergency committees have been very effective in the purpose for which they were set up, and I see no reason for giving the further directions suggested.