§ 4. Mr. Bellengerasked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that 2,443 other ranks of the Army were discharged during 1943 as unfit for service within less than six months after having been medically graded A1 by his medical officers before call-up; and what steps he is taking to prevent this recurring.
§ Mr. BevinFrom an analysis which has been made of the cases to which my hon. Friend refers, it is estimated that less than a third could be regarded as avoidable errors in grading. This is so small a proportion of the total medically examined and posted to the Army, that I do not think it can in practice be avoided. I may add that cases which are considered to be definite errors in grading, are reported by the Service authorities to my Department, and where my medical advisers agree that the error may have been avoidable, the case is brought specially to the attention of the chairman of the medical board concerned.
§ Mr. BellengerDoes my right hon. Friend know that after his Department has examined these men for call-up for the Service another examination by the military authorities takes place? Is it not possible to avoid some of this by cooperation between his own Department's doctors and the military doctors, before the man is pulled away from his home, and great hardship caused?
§ Mr. BevinI think I should create a very great injustice if I did that. The time of the medical examination by my Department may be a considerable time before the actual call-up. Therefore, I have asked my right hon. Friend to be very careful when these men arrive in the Army. One may be well to-day and ill to-morrow.
§ Mr. BellengerIf that is the case, will my right hon. Friend take steps to see that before the man is called up for the Army, another medical examination shall take place?
§ Mr. BevinNo, Sir, I really could not do that. The whole deferment machinery would break down if I tried it. The best evidence of the care that is taken is the figure I have given.
§ Colonel GreenwellWill the right hon. Gentleman explain how a man who was passed by his own Department's doctors as unfit, through heart trouble, for work as a docker, could subsequently be passed as A1 for service in the Army?