§ Sir W. Smithersasked the Minister of Labour if he will take further urgent steps to ensure that hospitals and nursing homes are adequately staffed.
§ Mr. E. BevinHospitals and nursing homes already have the highest priority for such nursing and domestic staff as they require urgently, and these administrative measures are being reinforced by publicity appeals in the Press and elsewhere at the present time. My information is that the position has recently been eased in regard to nurses and that there are signs of improvement in certain localities in regard to domestic staff. My hon. Friend will, however, appreciate that in view of the shortage of trained nurses and competing demands for domestics the position must remain difficult.