§ 15. Mr. CAIRNSasked the Minister of Pensions whether he is aware that diabetic cases have to pay 3s. 6d. each time they are examined; if so, will he with draw this fee; and is he aware that this hardship comes every four weeks?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONI presume that my hon. Friend refers to the arrangements made for the provision of special diet where this is required as an adjunct to a course of home treatment under his panel doctor for the man's pensionable disability. In such cases, special diet may be allowed where the panel doctor certifies that certain additional articles of diet are necessary. He has no authority from the Ministry of Pensions to charge this fee, and I am, therefore, not in a position to withdraw it. The matter is entirely one between patient and doctor, and I should have supposed that a recommendation of this simple character would ordinarily have been given by a private practitioner without extra charge. The requirement that continuance of the allowance for special diet should be certified as still necessary once every four weeks, is a general rule applicable to all cases except those of tuberculosis.