§ 38. Mr. ORMSBY-GOREasked the Minister of Health whether, in connection with the discontinuance of sanatorium benefit at the end of the current 1726 calendar year, he will either provide for the compulsory transfer of members of staffs of insurance committees engaged on sanatorium benefit work to the new authority or provide adequate compensation for all officers displaced by reason of the discontinuance of sanatorium benefit on the same lines as other public servants whose duties are abolished by Statute?
§ The MINISTER of HEALTH (Dr. Addison)The sanatorium benefit work of insurance committees is only a part of the work of those bodies, and is, to a largo extent, carried on by officers and servants of the committees who have other duties. I am sending my hon. Friend an extract from a circular letter which was issued in June last to insurance committees in regard to staffing arrangements in connection with the discontinuance of sanatorium benefit at the end of the year. I have not received representations from any quarter that there is need for provision being made on the lines indicated in the question.
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREIs the right hon. Gentleman not aware that as a result of that circular letter County Council authorities have sent round letters to the officers hitherto engaged in the administration of sanatorium benefit, saying that they can hold out no hope whatever of their being employed on other work, and is he aware that a number of clerks and others were employed in administering sanatorium benefit at the beginning of the Act and are now being thrown out of work altogether and given no other alternative at all?
§ Dr. ADDISONI am afraid I am not acquainted with those facts at all, and if my hon. Friend has anything to support them, I shall be glad if he will communicate with me.