§ 39. Mr. LARDNERasked whether the President of the Local Government Board's attention has been called to the case of a workman named Michael Henigan, an inmate under the National Insurance Act of the Aysgarth sanatorium, in the North Riding, who was sent to the institution from a lodging-house in Guisborough without proper clothing, with the result that he was kept in bed and did not 1000 therefore receive full advantage of the treatment; whether he is aware that, when the insurance committee applied to the Guisborough guardians, they were unable to provide clothing, as advised by the medical superintendent of the sanatorium, on the ground that Henigan was not a pauper, and that even if he had been he had no settlement in Guisborough; whether he is aware that the guardians of the Aysgarth union on 24th March absolutely declined to receive Henigan into the workhouse hospital, and that they have intimated in a letter to the North Riding insurance committee that they cannot accept him or any other tuberculous patient who happens to be sent to Aysgarth sanatorium, and whose settlement cannot be traced; does he support the attitude of these boards in their refusal; and can he state, in view of the hardship likely to be caused to insured persons in such circumstances, whether it would be possible for guardians to admit such cases?
§ Mr. BURNSThe question raises several points of difficulty with which it is impossible to deal in the course of an answer. The creation of insurance committees has no doubt produced some new Poor Law problems, but I am in hopes that, as a result of consultations and by co-operation between the authorities concerned, the difficulties may be overcome. I am in communication with the guardians and the Insurance Commissioners on the subject.
§ 72. Mr. TOUCHEasked whether it is in the power of the London Committee to make any provision for the removal to a sanatorium of a consumptive patient in Islington who has been ill for four years, and an absolute invalid for the past six months, to whose case his attention has been called, the patient being one of a family of orphans with no private means and entirely dependent on a brother and sister insured under the National Insurance Act, whose own health is imperilled by the strain of nursing their sister in addition to long hours of work in business, while they are also exposed to some risk of infection?
Mr. ROBERTSONI understand that the patient referred to in the hon. Member's question is not an insured person, and as sanatorium benefit has not been extended in London to the dependants of insured persons, I regret that she is not eligible for sanatorium treatment under the Insurance Act.
§ Mr. TOUCHEWill these matters have consideration in an amending Bill?
§ Mr. DAWESDid not the London County Council unanimously pass a resolution some time ago to take over the care of tuberculous persons? Has anything been done since the resolution was passed?