HC Deb 13 June 1906 vol 158 cc949-50
MR. LEA (St. Pancras, E.)

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War, if he will consider the advisability of sending a civilian officer of health with the officer to be detailed to visit the packing houses in the United States on behalf of the War Office, so that he can furnish a report, from a medical and sanitary point of view, as to the conditions under which the work is done and the sanitary condi- tion of the buildings used by the contractors.

*THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (Mr. HALDANE,) Haddington

Lieutenant-Colonel Hobbs is considered thoroughly qualified and capable of carrying out the inspection necessary to protect the interests of the War Department. It is not proposed to send out a civilian officer of health to assist him.

MR. LEA

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether it is not the fact that Colonel Hobbs is merely a layman; whether this is not a question in which a knowledge of medical science would be of great use, and whether a medical report would not go much further than a report by a military officer to allay the apprehensions that are felt in this country? Would not a medical report be of infinitely greater value?

*MR. HALDANE

Colonel Hobbs is a highly trained officer.

MR. LEA

Is it not the fact that the officers whose conduct is now being investigated by the South African War Stores Commission were also highly trained officers?

MR. SLOAN (Belfast, S.)

Does the right hon. Gentleman mean that this officer is highly trained in medical science?

*MB. HALDANE

I mean that he is highly trained in the Army Service Corps, and therefore is highly trained in this kind of work.

MR. SLOAN

Is he medically trained. at all?

*MR. HALDANE

A man cannot do this work without a certain amount of medical knowledge.