§ 28. Mr. GODFREY LOCKER-LAMPSONasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his attention has been called to the statement of the medical officer of the Welsh Insurance Commission that the number of insured cases receiving domiciliary treatment is small and does not warrant the sum spent for them, namely 6d. per insured person, paid to the panel doctors; whether several insurance committees have found themselves short of funds for sanatorium benefit in consequence of the above 6d. being diverted from them; and whether he proposes to make a temporary Grant to needy insurance committees so that consumptive insured persons may receive the sanatorium benefit which they need and to which they are entitled?
§ Mr. WEDGWOOD BENN (Lord of the Treasury)My right hon. Friend understands that the report contained in the hon. Member's question does not accurately represent the observations of the officer in question. These were addressed solely to the circumstances of a particular area in which domiciliary treatment had in many cases been given without formal recommendation for sanatorium benefit. With regard to the latter part of the question, I would remind the hon. Member that expenditure upon domiciliary treatment is part of the committee's expenditure upon sanatorium benefit as a whole, and that extensive Grants are already provided towards the cost of comprehensive schemes comprising arrangements for the treatment of insured persons.
§ Mr. WORTHINGTON EVANSHas a surcharge been made in cases where domiciliary treatment has been given without advice?
§ Mr. WORTHINGTON EVANSIn the circumstances of the case to which the lion. Member has referred, will it be so?