§ Sir H. NIELDasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether ex-service men who have passed the qualifying educational standard for the Civil Service are required to pay a fee of 15s. before they can be medically examined;, whether, having regard to the fact that, most of these men have been employed temporarily in Government Departments at a salary of £3 15s. per week, out of which they have had to pay fees for entering the examination as well as for attending classes, this medical examination fee can be debited to the National Health Insurance Commissioners, seeing that many of these men have never received any pecuniary benefit under the National Health Insurance Act, or, failing: this, that only those who have passed the medical examination be asked to refund the money at a later date?
Mr. YOUNGThe fee for medical examination demanded in the cases of candidates for all but the highest appointments in the Civil Service has, after negotiations with the British Medical Association, been fixed at 15s., and I am satisfied that this sum is a reasonable charge for the detailed report required. I am not prepared to impose a charge upon the Exchequer in respect of this fee, for which Health Insurance Funds could in no case be made liable.