§ 53. Sir Adam Maitlandasked the Minister of Health whether he has considered the resolution passed by the Kent local medical and panel committee, to the effect that medical benefit should be provided for dependants of men in the Armed Forces and that such benefit should be administered through the existing machinery of the insurance committees and not through public assistance committees; and whether he proposes to take the necessary action?
§ Miss HorsbrughYes, Sir. The general question has been frequently considered by the responsible Ministers, and I cannot add anything to the full statement made by my right hon. Friend the Member for Midlothian and Peebles (Mr. Colville) when he was Secretary of State for Scotland on 23rd April, 1940. I am sending a copy of this statement to my hon. Friend.
§ Dr. SummerskillIs the hon. Lady aware that returns on the cost of living in country areas show that the cost of medical attendance is disproportionately large, and does she not think that action is therefore long overdue?
§ Miss HorsbrughI think the hon. Lady is referring to a wider public. This question deals with the dependants of service men.