HC Deb 18 July 1901 vol 97 cc822-3
MR. T. M. HEALY (Louth, N.)

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury is he aware of the feeling existing in the Royal Colleges of Surgeons and of Physicians in Ireland at the failure to give the Irish faculty adequate representation on the Royal Commission on Army Medical Service; is he aware that in several years the majority or a large proportion of the men joining the Army Medical Service held Irish qualifications; and, seeing that five of the Royal Commissioners represent London schools, can he explain why only one has been allotted to Ireland and one to Scotland; and would he give a Return of the doctors in the Indian, British, and Naval services, distinguishing those holding English, Irish, and Scotch qualifications, for the years 1890, 1895, and 1900; and will anything be done to increase the representation of Ireland in the composition of the Royal Commission.

THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR,) Manchester, E.

The members of the Commission were chosen not with a view of representing the various nationalities, but to give the Secretary of State practical assistance in reorganising the Army Medical Service. As, however, my right hon. friend has no desire to let it appear that any school is slighted, Sir William Thompson has been invited to join the Commission, and there is every reason to hope that he will be induced to accept the invitation.