§ DR. CAMERON (Glasgow, College)I beg to ask the Lord Advocate whether his attention has been called to the fact that the Buteshire County Council has resolved to appoint a County, Medical Officer, who shall also act as District Medical Officer for Bute and Cumbrae or for Arran at a salary of £60 per annum, with liberty to carry on private practice; whether the Board of Supervision, as reported, had intimated to the County Council that "they had very reluctantly resolved not to oppose the scheme; " and whether any other proposals for the appointment of County Medical Officers at equally low salaries, and with liberty to engage in practice, have been sanctioned by the Board of Supervision; and, if not, on what grounds an exception was made in the case of Buteshire?
§ THE LORD ADVOCATE (Mr. J. P. B. ROBERTSON, Bute)Under the regulations made by the Secretary for Scotland, the rule has been that a County Medical Officer should not be allowed to engage in private practice; but it was recognised that in some of the insular and smaller counties an exception might possibly have to be made. This has been found necessary in the cases of Bute, Orkney and Zetland, in all of which the salary does not exceed £60, and the holders of the appointments are permitted to retain their private practice. In those cases the Board are of opinion that the circumstances are exceptional, and that the rule could not be enforced without imposing an undue burden upon the ratepayers.