32. Sir M. BARLOWasked the Pensions Minister whether his attention has been called to the delay in obtaining repairs to the artificial limbs of discharged sailors and soldiers; whether, in view of the suffering and hardships entailed, he will consider the advisability of having such limbs standardised; and whether he can state how long it is likely to be before he is able to carry out his promise of issuing a spare limb to each man so that he will be able to substitute one while the other is being mended?
§ Mr. HODGEMy attention has been drawn to the delay. A recent Instruction which enables local war pension committees to authorise repairs (locally where possible) without previous reference to the Ministry will, it is hoped, obviate delay in minor cases, and with regard to major repairs and the re-admission of pensioners into limb fitting centres, the increase in the number of beds at fitting centres from 972 in February, 1918, to 2,196 in October, will enable cases to be more expeditiously dealt with. It has not yet been found 423 possible to standardise limbs, as no specimen brought to the knowledge of the expert Advisory Council has shown such advantages over any other as to warrant it being made the standard pattern. The promise to issue a spare limb to all cases will, I hope, be carried out within a reasonable period, but clearly the primary fitting of limbs must be the first consideration. It is proposed to supply a light provisional peg-leg of fibre or other prescribed pattern in all cases for use in emergency. This should obviate inconvenience to men until the spare limb can be provided.
Sir M. BARLOWIn view of the fact that after three years of war it has not been found possible to provide a standardised limb, will the Government consider the question of taking over the manufacture of these limbs, and, with that end in view, appoint a strong Committee to go into the matter?
§ Mr. HODGEMay I point out that the Pensions Ministry has not been in existence for three years, and it was only after I became Pensions Minister that this Advisory Committee, consisting of expert surgeons, expert engineers, and expert limb-makers, was constituted, and is at present, and has been for some months, experimenting?
§ Mr. HOGGECan the right hon. Gentleman say why the Pensions Ministry refuse to allow a man, who cannot be fitted with a limb by the Pensions Ministry, to get a limb from an outside source when that outside source can fit him with a limb which enables him to walk; and why do they refuse to pay the cost of that?
§ Mr. HODGEEverything of that kind must be subject to some kind of control. You cannot permit outsiders to say whether a limb is a right kind of limb for a soldier or not.
§ Mr. HOGGEIf my right hon. Friend is assured by evidence that these people can produce limbs to enable men to walk, will they consider payment for it, rather than insist that the men shall have a limb from the Pensions Ministry?