§ 54. Mr. ASTORasked whether a dependant of an insured person who is treated for tuberculosis by a local authority undertaking treatment of tuberculosis for the whole population with the aid of the Hobhouse Grant from the Treasury, is entitled to the same domiciliary treatment as may be given if sanatorium benefit is extended under Clause 17 of the National Insurance Act to dependants of insured persons?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELDependants are not entitled as of right to domiciliary treatment even if an insurance committee has extended sanatorium benefit to such persons. The matter is within the discretion of the insurance committees. Local authorities generally have not so far included domiciliary treatment in their schemes; the view which has been acted on is that the institutional side of these schemes should be fully developed before the question of providing domiciliary treatment is considered.
§ Mr. HILLSIs the treatment of dependants the same under the Hobhouse Grant as under the Insurance Act in respect of domiciliary treatment?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELIt depends in both cases upon the view taken by the competent authority, which is the local health authority in one case, and the insurance committee in the other. It is legal for both of them to give or to refuse dimiciliary treatment to dependants.