§ MR. A. C. MORTONI beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether the officer at the War Office who supervises the Quarterly Medical Reports and to whom the whole sanitary responsibility of the Army is left is only a junior officer, holding the rank of Surgeon Major; whether he will arrange to have the principal medical officer's inspections made twice a year in India as in this country; and whether he will make a more stringent Order requiring the Commanding Officers to go round with the principal medical officer on his half-yearly inspections?
§ *MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANThe medical officer who performs the sanitary duties at the War Office is not a junior officer, but has nearly 20 years' service, and will next month be promoted to the rank of Surgeon Lieutenant Colonel. The sanitary responsibility of the Army does not rest wholly with him, nor even with the Director General, the interests of the Army in this respect being, moreover, secured by the Army Sanitary Committee, of which the officer in question is a member. The second question is one entirely for the Indian Government. It is not proposed to alter the Regulations at present existing as to 1567 the officer who is to accompany the medical officer on his half-yearly inspections. This duty at present is imposed on such officer not below the rank of Captain as the officer commanding may appoint to represent him. And he is also accompanied by an officer of the Royal Engineers.
§ MR. A. C. MORTONIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that in many cases the medical officer is accompanied not by the Commanding Officer, or Colonel, or Captain, but by an officer of still lower rank?
§ *MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANThat is strictly against the Regulations.