§ MR. J. STUART (Shoreditch, Hoxton)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for India whether a letter has been issued, under date 20th November, 1897, by the Government of India Mili- 694 tary Department, purporting to state explicitly the policy of the Government of India with respect to the future treatment of venereal disease in cantonments, stating that, among other things, medical officers may make arrangements to carry out from time to time the examination of women who voluntarily present themselves; and whether the statement of policy made in that letter has been sanctioned by him?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIAThe instructions issued by the Government of India in the letter to which the honourable Member refers are based on my Dispatch No. 25, of 26th March, 1897, which has been presented to Parliament, and I see no reason to question their propriety.
§ MR. STUARTWill the noble Lord lay the Paper on the Table?
THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDLA.I will lay any regulation I have. I do not think I have the actual Paper, but I know the purport of it.
§ MAJOR RASCH (Essex, S.E.)Will the noble Lord consider the advisability of making this examination compulsory?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIAThat does not arise out of this Question.