HC Deb 03 July 1967 vol 749 cc1263-4
36. Dr. David Kerr

asked the Lord President of the Council what representations he has received concerning the investigation of health standards and causes of mortality among Members of Parliament; and whether he will make a statement.

Mr. Crossman

As my hon. Friend will be aware, the British Heart Foundation has recently approached me with a request that it should be permitted to circulate a questionnaire to all Members. I have studied the questionnaire and discussed it with representatives of the Foundation, as well as making sure that it was considered through the usual channels. As a result it has been decided that, while no official support should be given to such an inquiry, there is no objection to the circularisation of the questionnaire to Members by the British Heart Foundation.

Dr. David Kerr

I thank my right hon. Friend for that reply. Could he assure the House that the replies to these questions will be treated with the normal standard of professional confidence which prevails among medical men? Secondly, will he assure the House that the results of the questionnaire, if a sufficient number of replies are received to it, could be of value, not only to Members of Parliament, but to other groups outside this House?

Mr. Crossman

Yes, I have no doubt of the scientific value of this research if we can get a sufficiently full return from hon. Members to the rather complicated questionnaire which has been submitted. Naturally I would not have said that I would authorise it if I were not absolutely assured that the replies would be treated confidentially.

Sir A. V. Harvey

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that while no doubt the organisers responsible for this form are sincere, nevertheless one or two of the questions would be highly embarrassing to hon. Members? For instance, the question: Do you find being an M.P. frustrating enough to want to give it up? Does he realise that many of us at this time of the year feel we would like to do so, but we would not do so under the present Government?

Mr. Crossman

I should have thought this was a question of confidentiality. All of us would like to put our views in close secrecy and to write down our answers to these questions.

Mr. Pavitt

Is my right hon. Friend aware that it is eight years since the Government accepted the Convention of the I.L.O. on occupational health services and five years since the then Prime Minister, Mr. Macmillan, promised me that he would include the health services of this House? Could we now have an industrially trained nurse on the premises?

Mr. Crossman

I should have thought that first it would be better to have the questionnaire and, secondly, the replies to it. When the replies have been studied, I might be able to give an answer to my hon. Friend's question.