§ Lieut. - Colonel Thornton - Kemsleyasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware that repatriated British prisoners of war who arrived in England this autumn had to be detained in hospitals in the South for many weeks because suitable hospital accommodation was not available in Scotland; and how he proposes to ensure that this will not happen in future cases.
Mr. JohnstonThere has not been any general difficulty about transferring to 2421W Scottish hospitals repatriated prisoners whose homes are in Scotland, though I understand that four repatriated patients suffering from tuberculosis and sent to hospitals in England could not be quickly transferred because there is a waiting list of tuberculosis patients in Scotland for admission to hospital. I am glad to be able to inform the hon. Member that the particular cases which I understand he has in mind have now been transferred to Scotland.