§ 15. Mr. WILESasked the Secretary for War whether he will consider the advisability of all medical certificates issued by medical boards under the Military Service Act being signed by the examining doctor, so that some responsibility may be taken for the decisions given and a more careful examination ensured?
§ Mr. FORSTERThe responsibility of decision rests with the Board and not with any individual member of it. No member of the Board, which usually consists of five doctors, can be rightly described as the examining doctor. Any man may be examined when necessary by more than one of the members. The certificates given to the men are prepared by the recruiting officer from the medical history sheet pre-pared by the Board. I can assure the hon. Member that in any case of a mistake it is quite easy to assign the responsibility correctly to the Board which examined the man.
§ Mr. PRINGLECan the hon. Gentle-man give us the instructions upon which these medical boards are now acting?
§ Mr. FORSTERI do not think that arises out of this question. Perhaps the hon. Gentleman will put down a question.
Mr. CHANCELLORCan the hon. Gentleman assure us that each person is actually examined by the medical board before they give their decision?
§ Mr. FORSTERI think I can give that assurance.