§ 102. Mr. BRIANTasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department, as representing the Ministry of Health, if he can state the number of insured persons suffering from tuberculosis who are now being treated in Poor Law institutions; and, as tilt intention of the National Health Insurance Act was to provide suitable institutional treatment 499 other than under the Poor Law, what, if anything, is being done to provide further accommodation?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSI have no precise information as to the number of tuberculous persons now receiving treatment in Poor Law institutions. As regards the second part of the question, the residential accommodation for the treatment of tuberculosis under the schemes of local health authorities in England (which at present comprises upwards of 19,000 beds) has increased during the past two years by approximately 2,350 beds, while some 1,000 additional beds are in course of provision.