HC Deb 21 February 1966 vol 725 cc16-7W
81. Mr. Driberg

asked the Minister of Health on what date the committee investigating the ambulance service first met; how many meetings have been held since then; what has been the average attendance of the members; what difficulties have caused delay in the preparation of their report; why these difficulties could not have been avoided; and why his Department informed the hon. Member for Barking, in September 1965, that this report would be published in a very few weeks.

Mr. Loughlin

The Working Party on Ambulance Training and Equipment first met on 4th October, 1963. There have been 17 meetings since then, 14 of which lasted all day; and the average attendance was 12 out of 16 members. I understand that the reconciliation of differences of view within the Working Party took some time. According to my information the period mentioned to my hon. Friend in September related to the expected submission of the Report on training and not to its publication. The Report was received on 3rd November, 1965.