§ 29. Sir G. Foxasked the Secretary of State for Air what is the establishment strength of Princess Mary's R.A.F. Nursing Service, the present strength, the deficiency on 30th November last and the deficiency on 31st December, 1946, when Group 55 was released; and why release is slower than the nursing services in the Army and R.N.
§ Mr. P. Noel-BakerThe establishment of Princess Mary's Royal Air Force Nursing Service is 715. At the end of December the actual strength was 550; the deficiency was, therefore, 165, while at the end of November it was 132. I regret that I cannot yet predict when Group 55 will be released. As explained in the White Paper, release must of necessity proceed at different rates in the different Services. Release from the R.A.F. Nursing Service is slower than release from the Army and the Navy, because the number of nurses is smaller in proportion to the work to be done