§ 1. Sir WILFRID SUGDENasked the Minister of Pensions whether full advantage is being taken of sanatoria attached to village settlements for the treatment of War pensioners suffering from tuberculosis?
§ The MINISTER of PENSIONS (Major Tryon)Treatment for pensioners suffering from tuberculosis is secured through the local health authorities who normally make use of their own sanatoria, approved for the purpose by the Ministry of Health. This practice secures that local facilities are utilised to the full and is also consistent with the policy (so often pressed upon me) of treating pensioners, as far as possible, near their own homes. Cases of this class which are likely to be suitable for, and to benefit from, ultimate residence in a village settlement after any course of treatment required, will, I am advised, at the present time be increasingly few among pensioners whose tuberculosis is directly traceable to their War service having regard to the stage of their complaint, age, previous occupation, habits of Life and other factors. As such cases arise, while my powers are necessarily limited in the case of this, as of all other disabilities, to the provision of the treatment required, treatment in a sanatorium attached to a village settlement may be preferable to the normal arrangements of treatment in the sanatorium of the local health authority, and I am prepared to continue to give reasonable facilities for the treatment of suitable cases accordingly.
§ Mr. WOMERSLEYIs the right hon. and gallant Gentleman aware that there are many of these very excellent institutions for the treatment of tuberculosis in 1731 the Northern part of England; and will his Department make the fullest use of them, rather than send patients always to the South?
§ Major TRYONYes, Sir. There are excellent local sanatoria, and we desire to make full use of them.