§ 45. Mr. ARTHUR GREENWOODasked the Prime Minister whether his attention has been called to the warning notice issued to registered medical practitioners by the General Medical Council, purporting to give a summary of the resolutions and decisions of the council upon forms of professional misconduct; whether he is aware that in consequence of the issue 632 and circulation of that notice registered medical practitioners are deterred from assisting, by administration of anesthetics or otherwise, qualified but not registered practitioners of osteopathy, bone setting, and other new forms of treatment of human ailments; whether he is aware of the feeling of dissatisfaction amongst the general public and also amongst many medical practitioners with the exercise by the General Medical Council of its functions and powers conferred by Statute of 1858; and whether he is prepared to set up a Commission or Departmental Committee of inquiry into the operation and administration of the various medical Acts, and the exercise by the. General Medical Council of its functions and powers under such Acts, with a view to the introduction of such legislation as may be necessary to ensure the recognition and legal regulation in this country of osteopathy, bone setting and other new methods of treatment, and to safeguard both qualified practitioners and the general public?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Mr. Austen Chamberlain)I must apologies for the absence of my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister. I understand that the warning notice to which the hon. Member refers was adopted virtually in its present form by the General Medical Council in 1897 and subsequent alterations have been merely verbal. The answer to the second part of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the third and fourth parts, while the application of the principles laid down in the notice to particular cases may have given rise to criticism, there is no evidence of any general dissatisfaction among the public or the medical profession, and I see no necessity for the appointment of any commission or committee such as the hon. Member suggests.
§ Mr. GREENWOODWould the right hon. Gentleman be good enough to ask the Prime Minister whether he would receive a deputation of some Members of this House?
§ Mr. CHAMBERLAINI suggest to the hon. Gentleman that the most convenient and practical course would be for him to make representations to my right hon. relative the Minister of Health.