§ MR. WEIR (Ross and Cromarty)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War if he will state why no member of a Scottish medical school has been placed on the Army Medical Service Advisory Board.
§ MR. HALDANEWhen the new Advisory Board was formed it was decided that, in order to ensure prompt consideration of questions of importance, it was essential that all the Members should be in the closest possible touch with the Army Medical Administration, and, therefore, as far as possible, at hand. Experience of the methods of working the former Board shewed that, to be effective, constant personal communication, not only with the Board as a whole, but with individual Members was necessary. This is why so many of those selected are resident in London.
§ MR. WEIRIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that there are many eminent medical Scotsmen resident in London?
§ MR. HALDANEThat may be so. I have to look, however, to the efficiency of the service rather than to any other considerations. I should be the last person not to desire to appoint a Scotsman.
§ MR. WEIRI think it is a slur on the country to suggest that the Scottish medical men in London are not as capable as those belonging to English schools.