HC Deb 31 January 1952 vol 495 cc358-9
40. Dr. Reginald Bennett

asked the Minister of Health why his Department have not yet made available to doctors and public vaccinators any copies of the International Certificate of Vaccination against Smallpox; and why the issue of this document has been confined to travel agencies.

Miss Hornsby-Smith

My right hon. Friend does not think it appropriate to ask doctors to act as distributing agents of this certificate, which can be obtained from the health departments as well as from travel agencies. The Passport Office give intending travellers a leaflet fully explaining what they have to do and I am sending my hon. Friend a copy. My right hon. Friend has received no complaints about the existing arrangements.

Dr. Bennett

Will my hon. Friend take notice of the kind of difficulty which has been reported to me by a public vaccinator in London, who had to go to a travel agency to ask for copies of the vaccination certificate and was refused them as he was not an intending passenger? Will she see that there is an improvement in the distribution of these documents?

Miss Hornsby-Smith

I will certainly take note of that point.