§ 54. Mr. Leachasked the Minister of Health under what Act of Parliament or Ministerial order a borough council is acting when paying vaccination fees to persons other than public vaccinators and vaccination officers?
§ Mr. ElliotThe Public Health (Smallpox Prevention) Regulations, 1917, authorise the payment of fees to medical officers of health for the vaccination and re-vaccination of contacts, and the Vaccination Order, 1930, empowers local authorities to appoint "assistants" to vaccination officers. If the hon. Member has any particular case in mind as regards which he is doubtful of the action of the local authority, perhaps he would let me have full particulars.
§ 59. Mr. Leachasked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the fact that employers who decline to engage individuals unless they can show evidence of successful vaccination usually act on the advice of medical practitioners, he will consider the desirability of issuing a circular to all medical practitioners drawing their attention to the views of the Ministry's Chief Medical Officer, as expressed in his recent annual reports, deprecating the imposition of such a requirement because of the risk of postvaccinal encephalitis?
§ Mr. ElliotThe attention of local authorities has already been drawn to this matter in circulars issued by my Department, and it has been repeatedly emphasised in the annual reports of the Chief Medical Officer, including the report for 1937, issued last month. I think the present question and answer will probably be the most efficacious form of the further publicity for this point which the hon. Member has in mind.