§ Mr. SWANasked the Secretary of State for War if he will consider the advisability of delaying the demobilisation of the Northumberland War Hospital, Go forth, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, for a period of at least six months, so as to leave the Royal Infirmary free to meet the urgent civilian needs for hospital accommodation and treatment, as already great difficulty is experienced in meeting the needs of the large number of civil patients who are waiting for treatment at the Royal Victoria Infirmary, which is the chief hospital for the city of Newcastle-upon-Tyne and the counties of Northumberland and Durham, seeing that the waiting list of this institution contains2,000 civil cases, many of whom are in need of early admission to the hospital?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLArrangements have been made with the Board of Control whereby the Northumberland War Hospital will continue in War Department occupation until the 31st December, 1919. It is hoped, by this means, to ease considerably the strain on the civilian establishments.
§ Mr. SWANasked the Secretary of State for War if he will see that adequate provsion is made for the treatment of soldiers, sailors, and pensioners, in the counties of Northumberland and Durham, before the Government decides to close the First Northern General Hospital and the Northumberland War Hospital, as otherwise hardship will be inflicted upon soldiers, sailors, and pensioners?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLAs I have just stated, the Northumberland War Hospital will remain open until the 31st December next. The closing of the First Northern General Hospital is dependent on the completion of huts, now being erected, to accommodate orthopædic cases. The total accomodation for patients at these two hospitals will not, therefore, be reduced even after the First Northern General Hospital is given up.