§ 20. Mr. MOSESasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether, in view of the large percentage of engine-room artificers, from apprentices upwards, who are invalided as the result of tuberculosis, he will say what steps are being taken to minimise this cause of invaliding; and whether better conditions of service are being taken into consideration to arrest the increase of tuberculosis which is taking place?
Mr. ALEXANDERThe incidence of tuberculosis in the Navy is not unduly high, neither is it appreciably higher among engine-room ratings than among ratings of the seaman branch. Every effort is made to minimise the causes of tuberculosis. Details of the principal precautions taken are given in King's Regulations and Admiralty Instructions, Article 1393, and these are under constant review to ensure that everything possible is done.