§ 60. Sir MAURICE LEVYasked the Pensions Minister whether he is aware that in the East Midlands area there are not any institutions where discharged soldiers can receive orthopædic treatment as in-patients; whether he is aware that the Mayor of Leicester and the committee of the Royal Infirmary of Leicester have offered to build an extension of the infirmary for in-patients requiring orthopædic treatment; and will he say why they have not been allowed to proceed with the scheme?
§ Mr. HODGEThe answer to the first and second parts of the question is in the 2207 affirmative. It had, I regret, to be decided that the Leicester scheme, involving the construction of permanent buildings, could not, owing to shortage of labour and materials, be allowed to proceed at the present time.
§ Sir M. LEVYIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that unless this treatment is given a large number of men will become permanent cripples; and will the right hon. Gentleman also say by whom this decision was arrived at?
§ Sir M. LEVYWhat about the men who may become permanent cripples?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Gentleman must give notice of further questions.
§ Mr. OUTHWAITEIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that numbers of men are now being turned out as permanent cripples for lack of this treatment, and would it not really be better to take the action suggested?
§ Mr. HODGEAs a matter of fact, if some permanent building at present in existence can be pointed out to us, we shall be prepared to adapt it for the purpose.