12. Miss WARDasked the Minister of Labour whether he is yet in a position to make a statement with regard to the providing of medical treatment for young men in accordance with the recommendations of the Special Commissioner?
§ Mr. E. BROWNI am proposing to set up a number of special local centres in the special areas of a non-residential character, in which men will receive preliminary training before entering either a Government training centre or an instructional centre. In any case where young men are in need of remedial treatment of a simple character, arrangements will be made for them to receive it in connection with the centre. Pending the establishment of such centres, where it is necessary I shall hope to arrange, as a temporary measure, for the admission of such cases to one or two of the residential instructional centres, where special arrangements for their treatment will be made.
Miss WARDWhile thanking the right hon. Gentleman for his reply, may I ask whether the suggested arrangement would carry out the recommendations that were made in Mr. Malcolm Stewart's report?
§ Mr. BROWNAs the hon. Lady knows, I have been going rather closely into this matter, but I would not like to prophesy about it.
§ Mr. LAWSONIs the right hon. Gentleman not aware that the real treatment needed here is work?
§ 15. Mr. FRANK ANDERSONasked the Minister of Labour the arrangements in operation at the Bourne training camp for the general cleanliness of the bed mattresses, the washing of blankets, and the washing of pillows and other bedding material?
§ Mr. BROWNThe bedding issued to men entering the centre is treated in a disinfector before issue, and is withdrawn for disinfection periodically. The mattress cases are laundered before issue, and the pillow slips are laundered once a week. In addition, the blankets are washed regularly, or whenever their condition requires it.
§ Mr. ANDERSONIs the Minister aware that different batches of men who enter these camps from time to time have to use the same blankets the whole way through; is he also aware that the pillows are washed only once a fortnight, and does he consider that to be a satisfactory state of cleanliness?
§ Mr. BROWNThat is not my information, which is that the pillow slips are laundered once a week, but if the hon. Member has any facts which he would like to bring to my notice I should be glad to have them.
§ Mr. ANDERSONMay I press the point about the blankets?
§ Mr. ANDERSONMay I ask very respectfully whether it is not a fact that numbers of these batches of men are there for five or six weeks, and that a second and third batch of men go there without the blankets being washed?
§ Mr. BROWNWe ate always glad for hon. Members to inspect these places. I shall be very glad to hear of the hon. Member's own experience, if he cares to see me.
§ 19. Mr. ANDERSONasked the Minister of Labour what arrangements are made for the medical examination of men before being sent to training camps, in view of the heavy work performed there; and how many men were rejected as unfit to enter these camps for the three months ended February, 1936?
§ Mr. BROWNMen are not admitted to instructional centres unless found on medical examination to be fit for admission. Men not fit for heavy work are passed for light work only. During the three months ended February, 1936, 940 men, or about 17 per cent., were rejected for training on medical grounds.
§ Mr. ANDERSONIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that a large number of persons have had to return from these training camps because they were not strong enough to do the work?
§ Mr. BROWNI would refer the hon. Member to the answer I have already given to the hon. Member for Wallsend (Miss Ward), in which I said that we have that point in mind.
§ 20. Mr. ANDERSONasked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that on 11th and 12th February this year several men had to leave the Bourne training camp owing to declining to work out in the open without overcoats, the weather being exceedingly cold; and whether he will make inquiries with a view to preventing a repetition of such occurrence and to the restoration of these men to unemployment assistance benefit?
§ Mr. BROWNI have had a full report of the circumstances in which it was necessary to discharge six men from the centre on account of their refusal to work, and I am satisfied that the manager's action was justified. Although the weather was cold, the remainder of the men were working cheerfully out of doors. The question whether these men failed to satisfy the conditions for the receipt of benefit is one for the statutory authorities, and I cannot intervene.
§ Mr. ANDERSONIn view of the unsatisfactory nature of the reply, I beg to give notice that I shall raise this matter on the Easter Adjournment.