16. Major DAVIESasked the Under secretary of State for War the number of temporary medical officers holding administrative medical appointments in the Army; what percentage of administrative medical appointments in the Royal Army Medical Corps are held by the Regular officers; and whether any steps are going to be taken to provide tuition in Staff duties to temporary medical officers of proved capacity and experience with a view to them holding such posts?
§ The UNDERSECRETARY of STATE for WAR (Mr. Macpherson)I am not clear as to what my hon. and gallant Friend means by administrative medical appointments. There are large numbers of medical officers holding posts of an administrative nature in the United Kingdom and the various theatres of war, such as heads of hospitals, registrars, sanitarians, deputy-directors of medical services, inspectors, controllers of expenditure, etc. To ascertain the particulars for which my hon. and gallant Friend asks would require prolonged inquiry, and I regret it cannot be undertaken. There is no occasion for taking the steps suggested in the last part of the question.
18. Major DAVIESasked the Under secretary of State for War whether, in view of the fact that the Report on the Royal Army Medical services has been conveyed to the Ministry of National Service, he can state the reasons for withholding this Report from Members of the House of 1953 Commons; and whether he will reconsider the decision arrived at by the Secretary of State for War with regard to this matter?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONThe Council have not yet considered the Report, and I can not undertake to publish it until this stage has been reached. The recommendations of the Report are now being investigated by the British Military Authorities in France.
23. Major DAVIESasked the Under secretary of State for War whether he can state if Royal Army Medical Corps officers previously attached to the Royal Flying Corps have now been transferred to the Air Forces in this country; and, if not, whether he can state the reasons why this has not been done?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONI would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the answer which was given him last Thursday on this subject by the representative of the Air Ministry.