HC Deb 09 December 1919 vol 122 cc1198-201

Motion made, and Question proposed, That a Supplementary sum, not exceeding £10,000, be granted to His Majesty, to defray the Charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1920, for Expenditure in respect of Ministry of Labour, Employment Exchange and Insurance Buildings, Great Britain.

Mr. BALDWIN

I think, in the absence of my right hon. Friend, I ought to say one word of explanation on this Vote. Great anxiety has been felt at the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Pensions concerning discharged men suffering from tuberculosis, and, as I understand, the accommodation in the country is at present insufficient for the needs of these men. This £10,000 is the sum that it was estimated the Office of Works would have to spend in erecting additional sanatoria for the Ministry of Health between now and the end of the current financial year. The whole scheme, which will be discussed later, on the Ministry of Health Vote, and when the Estimates come up next year, will involve for buildings something like a quarter of a million of money, and will enable the Department to treat 1,000 additional patients. The work will be executed with the utmost regard to economy, because we are going to utilise, as far as possible. Army huts, which will be obtained from the Disposals Board, and arrangements will be made with the local sanitary authorities, giving them the option to take over the buildings and equipment at the end of five years on terms very favourable to themselves. This is one of those Votes where the Office of Works are only responsible for buildings as agents for another Ministry, and I hope the time may come before very long when we may hope to get these building Votes in the Estimates for the Department for which the buildings are to be erected.

Lieut.-Colonel Sir S. HOARE

There is one question directly connected with the Employment Exchanges, but I do not know whether the hon. Gentleman will be able to answer it.

Mr. BALDWIN

I do not think it is in order on this Vote.

Sir S. HOARE

I think it is, but I will wait for your ruling, Mr. Whitley. I assume that the money that is being spent on the Employment Exchanges is the result of recommendations recently made by the departmental committee, and I should like to know what exactly is going to be done. I always thought the housing of the Employment Exchanges in many cases was a public scandal, and I should like to have some assurance on the subject.

The CHAIRMAN

This does not arise here. This only concerns the particular items given in the Vote.

Captain W. BENN

Can the hon. Gentleman give us any idea where these build- ings are to be erected, what arrangements are being made, and who is to be eligible to use them?

The CHAIRMAN

That does not arise here. This is only an additional £10,000 for the training of discharged soldiers, in addition to the original Estimates.

Captain BENN

I submit that this is £10,000 to start a new scheme.

Mr. BALDWIN

I am sure the hon. and gallant Gentleman will not expect me to go into details, which can only be dealt with by the Ministry of Health, but, as I understand from the Office of Works, arrangements will be made with local sanitary authorities, who, I understand, will work in close co-operation, and their aid will be sought by the Office of Works in constructing the additional accommodation, which accommodation, as I said, the local authorities will be able to take over after a term of five years on very favour able terms to the local authorities.

Earl WINTERTON

Is it a fact that this scheme comes under the same Vote as the Employment Exchanges? What have the Employment Exchanges to do with this scheme?

Mr. BALDWIN

The sub-head we are dealing with is the insurance (National Health), and these sanatoria under that head, because they concern national health, and in order to be grouped under the Ministry of Health they have to be made under this sub-head.

Sir F. BANBURY

Might I suggest that the real explanation is that these buildings are to be employed, not for the health of discharged soldiers suffering from tuberculosis, but for the training of discharged soldiers suffering from tuberculosis, and the Ministry of Labour thereby conies in. Where is the Minister of Labour? I really think he ought to be here somewhere and attend to his Vote. One Minister has already gone away because he has got an engagement. We have a very efficient substitute. Is the other Minister also addressing a meeting somewhere?

Mr. BALDWIN

I very often agree with my right hon. Friend the Member for the City of London, but on this occasion I cannot say I do. There may be—I believe there is—a scheme for training tuberculous men. But this particular Vote is merely for the erection of buildings, and has nothing to do with the training; otherwise it could not come on the Office of Works Vote.

Sir F. BANBURY

But this comes under the Ministry of Labour. Ought we not to have the First Commissioner of Works here?

Mr. BALDWIN

I say that he is ill.

Question put, and agreed to.