§ MR. LEAI beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether patients in military hospitals are required to do fatigue duties whether convalescent or not; and, if so, whether he will issue an Army Order to prevent the patients being ordered to do work of any kind, having in view the fact that all soldiers in military hospitals are placed under stoppages of pay to recompense the public for the loss of their services whilst under medical treatment, and that, if he cannot see his way to issue the order above referred to, he will see to it that no man will have any deduction made from his pay on the day he has done any work whilst in an Army hospital.
§ *MR. HALDANEThe King's Regulations empower officers in charge of hospitals to employ on light duties, without extra pay, patients whom they consider able to aid the hospital establishment. Patients are never employed on the ordinary heavy work incidental to hospital routine, and not often on the lighter work authorised, which would be in the wards. The stoppages are intended to recompense the State for cost of maintenance and treatment.