§ Mr. CATHCART WASON (Orkney and Shetland)To ask the Secretary for Scotland if he will say what system, if any, is adopted by parish councils in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland to acquaint the medical officers of the sickness of paupers, more especially those situated at a considerable distance from his residence; are the rules as to medical relief of the poor strictly adhered to by parish councils in remote parishes in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, or are these local bodies permitted by the Local Government Board to place limitations on them to suit the convenience of the general public, and, if so, will the 77 Board take steps to satisfy themselves that a laxity with regard to their rules is to the advantage of the paupers; are the medical officers required to visit the houses of paupers throughout the parish at short intervals to ascertain if the paupers are ill, or is it the duty of inspectors of poor to intimate to the medical officers when the paupers are requiring medical or surgical attention.
(Answered by Mr. A. Graham Murray.) The matters touched upon in the Question of the hon. Member are dealt with in the Report (already submitted to the House) of the Departmental Committee appointed by the Local Government Board for Scotland to inquire into the system of poor law medical relief, etc. That Report will shortly be available and I beg to refer the hon. Member to the recommendations contained in it.