§ Mr. LANSBURYasked if the fees paid to Public Vaccinators are paid subject to the approval of the Local Government Board; and whether, in view of the fact that a Public Vaccinator in Bermondsey can afford to pay 2s. to the parent of each child taken to him to be vaccinated and 603 also receives fees for instructing students in the art of vaccination, he will recommend the Bermondsey guardians to reduce their scale to 2s. 6d., and at the same time advise their officer to stop the practice of paying parents to take their children for vaccination?
§ Mr. BURNSThe fees paid to public vaccinators are subject to the approval of the Local Government Board. The fact that a Public Vaccinator acts also as an Instructor in Vaccination, and in that capacity receives fees from students and incurs certain charges in respect of the instruction he gives, does not, in my opinion, affect the question of the fee which should be paid to him as Public Vaccinator, and I am not prepared to take the action suggested by the hon. Member.
§ Mr. JOYNSON-HICKSThe right hon. Gentleman has not answered the last part of the question, whether it is a fact that the Public Vaccinator at Bermondsey can afford to pay 2s. for each child vaccinated?
§ Mr. LANSBURYMay I ask whether it is a fact, as stated in the question, that the Public Vaccinator does pay 2s. to the parents or persons who bring a child to him to be vaccinated?
§ Mr. BURNSMy hon. Friend, if he will allow me to say so, misunderstands. What is done is this. Whenever a parent definitely decides to have a child vaccinated, the Public Vaccinator gives ls. or 2s., as the case may be, for out-of-pocket expenses. The fee is not given to the parent to induce her to have the child vaccinated.
§ Mr. LANSBURYIs it not a matter of common knowledge throughout Bermondsey Union that this particular doctor pays 2s. to every parent who takes a child to' him to be vaccinated, and consequently gets people to go to him in preference to anybody else?