HC Deb 30 June 1925 vol 185 cc2224-5
62. Brigadier-General BROOKE

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he is aware that it is the custom to give ex-service men whose tuberculosis is admitted as attributable to war service only four weeks' institutional treatment; and, seeing that satisfactory results cannot be expected within such a limited period, if he will grant longer periods of treatment?

Lieut.-Colonel STANLEY

My hon. and gallant Friend has, I fear, been seriously misinformed. It has been the policy, both of my right hon. Friend and of his predecessors, in co-operation with the Ministry of Health, to secure as far as possible preferential treatment for disabled men suffering from tuberculosis due to their war service, and I am glad to say that the average period of in-patient treatment in these cases is not one month, but four months.

Brigadier-General BROOKE

Would the hon. and gallant Gentleman consider a case if I sent him one?

Lieut.-Colonel STANLEY

Yes, Sir, most certainly. I think the hon. and gallant Member may have confused the case where we have a man in for observation and not for treatment. We have a man in for one month in order to observe whether he has developed tuberculosis, but for treatment the average is four months. I will certainly look into any case which the hon. and gallant Member may send to me.