§ 43. Mr. Tomlinsonasked the Secretary of State for War whether he will consider making reasonable provision in billets in this country for men of His Majesty's Forces who are sick but not bad enough to be sent to hospital?
§ Mr. StanleyReception stations, camp hospitals and regimental medical posts are provided in all areas where troops are billeted, for the accommodation and treatment of cases of minor illness.
§ Mr. TomlinsonWill the right hon. Gentleman again inquire into the cases where men are billeted in schools, and where this lack of provision has led to a good deal of misery, to put it mildly, during the outbreak of influenza?
§ Mr. StanleyYes, Sir. I am taking immediate steps to inquire into the whole question of medical arrangements for men in billets.
§ Mr. TomlinsonCan I have an assurance that if I send the right hon. Gentleman particulars of two districts where this has occurred, he will look into them?
§ Mr. StanleyYes, Sir. I should be glad if hon. Members would send me well-authenticated reports of such cases, because they will help me and my advisers at the War Office in investigating the matter.
§ 44. Mr. Tomlinsonasked the Secretary of State for War whether he is satisfied that ample medical supplies are available for the British Expeditionary Force; and will he take such steps as are necessary to see that such supplies are fully maintained?
§ Mr. StanleyApart from complete medical units, 4,400 cases or bales of medical supplies, weighing over 270 tons, have been despatched to the British Expeditionary Force since the outbreak of war, and continue to be despatched at the rate of 320 packages, or approximately 20 tons, per week.
§ Mr. TomlinsonWill the right hon. Gentleman do all that is possible, as a good deal of misgiving is felt when men are called upon to spend their Army pay on medical supplies?
§ Mr. StanleyThere certainly should not be any case where a man in the British Expeditionary Force has to spend his Army pay on medical supplies. All medical officers have authority, if they indent for supplies and cannot obtain them, to buy the things for themselves and be recouped from Army funds.
§ Mr. TomlinsonAgain I ask whether, if I supply particulars, the right hon. Gentleman will be good enough to investigate them?
§ Mr. StanleyYes, but I would make it plain that there should be no necessity for any such payment from Army pay.
§ Dr. Edith SummerskillDoes that apply to medical officers in this country?
§ Mr. StanleyYes, Sir.
59 and 60. Miss Wardasked the Secretary of State for War (1) whether he will state the general hospital equipment for regimental medical posts, for camp hospitals and for military hospitals, respectively;
(2) whether he will state the War Office equipment, both bed and patient, for regimental medical posts, for camp hospitals and for military hospitals, respectively?
§ Mr. StanleyI will send the hon. Lady copies of the schedules.