HC Deb 08 April 1941 vol 370 cc1404-5
38. Miss Ward

asked the Secretary of State for War how many women hold commissioned rank in the Royal Army Medical Corps; and why female personnel for the Auxiliary Territorial Service are examined by Royal Army Medical Corps doctors and male personnel by civilian doctors?

Mr. Law

Eighty women hold commissioned rank in the Royal Army Medical Corps. The Ministry of Labour are responsible for the medical examination of men called up for the three Services under the National Service (Armed Forces) Acts as part of their general responsibility for the calling-up arrangements. As the Ministry of Labour are not responsible for the medical examination of recruits for the Auxiliary Territorial Service, this examination is normally carried out by Royal Army Medical Corps women doctors, but, if a Royal Army Medical Corps doctor is not available, a woman civilian medical practitioner is employed. I see no objection to this arrangement which works well in practice and is calculated to secure the most economical use of medical personnel.

Miss Ward

In view of the fact that the system has been in operation for not more than one month, would my hon. Friend say what caused the War Office to change their practice, and may I have an assurance that when women are directed into the A.T.S. by the Ministry of Labour the examination will be performed by civilian personnel and not by R.A.M.C. personnel?

Mr. Law

I do not know what the hon. Lady means by saying that this practice has been carried out for only a month. The Ministry of Labour has always been responsible for medical boards for men being called up under the National Service (Armed Forces) Acts.

Miss Ward

Is my hon. Friend not aware that civilian doctors in the London area received from the War Office 24 hours' notice of the substitution of R.A.M.C. doctors for civilian doctors? I am not referring to men at all.

Mr. Law

My hon. Friend's Question relates to men. It is true that R.A.M.C. doctors were substituted for civilian doctors The reason is that the R.A.M.C. doctors became available where they had not been available before.