§ 39. Mr. Lipsonasked the President of the Board of Education whether he will withdraw Circular 1604, which recommends the curtailment of medical inspection of children in elementary schools so that there will be no routine medical examination of schoolchildren from their entry to school at five years of age until their last year of school life?
§ The President of the Board of Education (Mr. Butler)No, Sir. My hon. Friend will be aware that the medical man-power position has necessitated the recommendations made in the circular, In some areas the staff is insufficient to carry out the full programme of medical inspection, a fact which I regret as much as does my hon. Friend.
§ Mr. LipsonIs the Minister aware that some local authorities believe that regular, medical inspection is as necessary in wartime as in peace and have the staffs to do so? If the purpose of the circular is that 1290 more school medical officers will be called up for military service, may I ask him to say whether that is the intention or not?
§ Sir Francis FremantleIs it not a fact that nurses and teachers can exercise extremely good supervision over the children and that there is probably very little difference in the routine?
§ Mr. ButlerThe answer to the latter question is that there is special reference in the circular to the work that nurses can do, and I hope they will take the work up. The answer to the first question is that it is not the object of the circular to make the service more restricted, but to make the best use of the man-power available. I undertake to do my best for the service in war-time conditions.
§ Mr. LipsonWill the right hon. Gentleman undertake to prevent more medical officers being called up?
§ Mr. ButlerI have said that I will do my best, but I must tell the House that the medical man-power position is very severe. Nobody regrets it more than I do, and I will certainly do my best.
§ Commander Locker-LampsonWhy do we not use some of the foreign doctors who are interned?