HC Deb 12 February 1942 vol 377 c1561
3. Mr. Touche

asked the Minister of Labour in how many cases has any action been taken in regard to members of medical boards who have made serious mistakes in passing unfit men as Grade I for the Services?

Mr. Bevin

The decision as to grading is taken by the medical board and not by an individual doctor. There have, how ever, been eight cases in which the appointments of chairman and members of medical boards were terminated on account of unsuitability or inefficiency: in some other cases, in which appointments were not continued, relative in efficiency or unsuitability was one of the reasons, but I could not give any precise figures under this head. I should add that the Medical Advisory Committee, under the chairmanship of Lord Horder, which assists the Department in making the arrangements for medical examination, have given it as their opinion that the proportion of men who are passed by the boards as fit for service, and found later to be unfit, is small.