HC Deb 24 October 1946 vol 428 c2
6. Mr. Thomas Reid

asked the Minister of Health if he will give an assurance that he will take no action to deprive medical officers who have been employed under the new public health scheme whose names have been subsequently removed from the lists of those eligible for employment under the scheme of their right to sue for damages in a civil court.

Mr. Bevan

I shall certainly take no action—nor should I have any power to take any action—to deprive any medical practitioner of any of his ordinary rights to sue in a civil court.

Mr. Reid

Is it not a fact that the legislation passed in no way takes away the ordinary civil law right of the medical practitioner to go to court?

Mr. Bevan

My hon. Friend is quite correct. It was explained in Committee and on the Floor of the House that the Common Law rights of the general practitioner are in no way affected by the legislation.