§ 78. Mr. DUNCAN MILLARasked the Pensions Minister if he can state the number of schemes for the treatment of disabled soldiers in Scotland which have been 563 submitted by the Scottish local statutory pension committees or by Scottish local authorities; and how many of these schemes have been approved by him?
§ The MINISTER of PENSIONS (Mr. Barnes)No large number of schemes have as yet been submitted or approved, and recently when I discussed the whole subject of the treatment and training of disabled men at a conference of Provosts at Glasgow, it was arranged that the matter should be considered for Scotland as a whole by them. In the meantime, various proposals have been, made by local committees. Among these I may mention the provision of a hospital for cases of paralysis at Ralston House, near Glasgow, and the use of the Hairmires Colony, near Lanark, for tuberculous cases. In Edinburgh the Royal Colleges of Physicians and Surgeons have undertaken the medical examination of cases for the local committees, and a joint committee of the colleges is now considering arrangements for the medical treatment of discharged men. I am taking steps to arrange a conference of local committees with the object of securing the acceptance of a scheme for the whole of Scotland.
§ Mr. MILLARIs that conference likely to take place at an early date?
§ Mr. BARNESThe first week in April is the first possible opportunity that I shall have of getting there. I hope that it will take place then.
§ Mr. BARNESI rather think not. There has been a great deal of correspondence about it. Most people are now coming round to the opinion that centralised treatment at St. Dunstan's is by far the best, so far as blind men are concerned.
§ Mr. HOGGEIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that this has been erected by the people of Scotland for centralised treatment?
§ Mr. BARNESYes; but I doubt if that view is now prevalent in Scotland.
§ Mr. PRINGLEAnswer! They do not usually part with their money for nothing.