§ Order for Second Reading read.
§ Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Bill be now read a second time."
§ Mr. J. M. HENDERSONI do not rise to oppose the Second Reading of this Bill; on the contrary, I thoroughly support it. No one who has read the Report of the Committee which investigated this matter can have anything but the greatest desire to help those unfortunate people who live in the islands off the coast of Scotland, and in some of the wilder parts of Scotland, in north-east and north-west, where a great state of poverty prevails. I certainly would not grudge one single penny of help that it is proposed to give them. I divide the Bill into two categories. First of all, there is the provision for medical men where there are no medical men, or where there are not sufficient for the population which requires their aid; and, secondly, there is the building of houses for the accommodation of those medical men, houses for nurses, and cottage hospitals in order that cases can be properly treated away from the homes where there is no accommodation, and where the patients stand little or no chance of recovery owing to the insanitary condition of the houses. For all these reasons, I would be the last man who would not wish that they should have money given them for that purpose. There is another category. The Bill is intended to provide telephonic communication for nursing and ambulance service. That category is founded upon the inaccessibility of many of these places owing to rugged roads, little communication, and the distance from the doctor's house. There are other parts of Scotland which are just as much in need of assistance in this direction as the Highlands and the islands of Scotland, but that is a matter which ought to be and will be reserved for Committee. The Bill in that respect either goes too far or not far enough. Reserving that point, I am one who will gladly support the Second Reading of the Bill.
§ Mr. HOGGEI only want. to draw the attention of the Secretary for Scotland to the fact that although under the Bill a Board is to be set up for the purposes of administration there is no information as to who is to compose that Board and from 2372 what Government Departments the members are to be drawn. I want the right hon. Gentleman to give us some undertaking that before the Bill leaves the House of Commons we shall have the names of the proposed members.
The SECRETARY for SCOTLAND (Mr. McKinnon Wood)I certainly hope to be able to do what my lion. Friend desires, and give the House this information.