§ 79. Sir H. MADENasked the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been called to the lack of accommodation for sanatorium treatment in certain Lancashire areas; whether there is a waiting list of military tuberculous patients who are given priority; whether civil patients have died whilst waiting for sanatorium treatment which has been ordered; and whether he proposes to take any steps to provide sufficient accommodation for military and civil sufferers?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. S. Walsh)The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative, and an Interdepartmental Committee has been appointed with a view to securing the provision of such additional accommodation in Lancashire and other areas as may be practicable in the present circumstances. I understand that, so far as the administrative county of Lancashire is concerned, there is no waiting list of military tuberculous patients, but there is a deficiency of accommodation for civilian patients. Certain patients died whilst waiting for admission to institutions, but our information is that they were hopeless cases, and the probability is that death 1651 would have occurred at an early date even if they had been admitted to a hospital or sanatorium.
§ Sir G. TOULMINIs it not a fact that the waiting list was caused by the preference given to the military tuberculous cases? Was not that the reason why there was a civilian waiting list?
§ Mr. WALSHThe list has been increasing for some considerable time, and no special set of circumstances is definitely responsible, so far as I know. It is a matter that has been growing in gravity for some time.
§ Sir G. TOULMINMay I ask if that increasing gravity is not caused by the military tuberculous patients?