HC Deb 27 March 1907 vol 171 cc1809-10
MR. LUPTON (Lincolnshire, Sleaford)

I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board if Dr. Fletcher is paid for reporting on cases of illness following vaccination; if formerly similar reports were published; and on what ground of public policy such reports are kept secret notwithstanding the wish of the parents for publicity.

MR. JOHN BURNS

Dr. Fletcher is one of the medical inspectors of the Local Government Board, and is paid an annual salary for the discharge of his duties, which, like those of the other medical inspectors, include the occasional investigation of cases of illness alleged to be due to vaccination. Some of the reports of the inspectors were communicated to the Royal Commission on Vaccination, and the facts contained in certain of these reports were published by them; but since the final Report of the Commission, no further reports of the kind in question have been published. The reports of necessity often deal with the acts of family history of individuals, and must, I think, be treated as confidential.

MR. LUPTON

If there is no desire on the part of the families concerned to keep the reports private why should they not be published?

MR. JOHN BURNS

I have no evidence that that is the view taken by the families affected.

MR. LUPTON

I say they do desire to have the reports published.