Railway Stations (First-Aid Facilities) Mr. Mitchison asked the Minister of Transport (1) whether he is aware of an incident, details of which have been sent to him by the hon. Member for Kettering, in which first-aid facilities were not readily available at St. Pancras station; and whether he will refer this incident and the general question of the availability of first-aid services to the appropriate transport users' consultative committee for its consideration;(2) whether he is satisfied that adequate first-aid facilities are provided at railway stations; and what general directions he has given, or proposes to give, to the British Transport Commission regarding this matter. Mr. Marples The provision of first-aid facilities at railway stations is a matter of railway management for which British Transport Commission is responsible. The Commission tells me that at least one first-aid box is provided at every railway station, that first-aid train- ing for railway staff, though voluntary, is systematically organised throughout British Railways, and that over 20,000 railway staff pass examinations in first-aid each year. I have not hitherto received any representations about the first-aid assistance available at railway stations and do not consider that I should be justified in giving any general directions to the Commission on this subject.As regards the incident at St. Pancras station, I understand that there was some delay in dealing with an injury to one of the hon. Member's constituents, but that a railway policeman gave first-aid and offered to call an ambulance. The Commission is considering whether it is possible to provide a more suitable first-aid post at this station than the police office.I do not think that there are sufficient grounds for me to refer this incident to the Transport Users' Consultative Committee for London or the general question of first-aid facilities to the Central Transport Consultative Committee. Users of railway services are entitled to make representations direct to the consultative committees.