§ Sir H. Kerrasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether Her Majesty's Government will now give assistance to enable the Hertford British Hospital in Paris to continue its work.
§ Mr. R. A. ButlerIn the light of the continuing need for the services which the hospital provides to British residents and visitors in France, the Government have decided to cancel a debt of £53,000 due to the War Office, and to transfer to the committee of management the adjacent site which was used to house staff during the occupation of the hospital as a British military hospital from 1957 to 1961. The site will be used by the hospital management to provide accommodation for a doctor and for the British nurses, and to secure a regular income from additional accommodation which the management proposes to erect there.
This help, together with private benefactions, is expected to make the hospital self-supporting. The Government do not intend to make any further contribution towards the hospital's maintenance.
The cost of these services will be borne on the Foreign Service Vote, and Parliament will be asked to vote the amount required in the current financial year by a Supplementary Estimate in due course.