§ Mr. HERRIOTTSasked the Minister of Pensions why county and other tuberculosis officers and medical superintendents of sanatoria are not permitted to express opinion in the case of ex-service men that the tuberculosis is due to war service; whether the Ministry of Pensions has sufficient experts in tuberculosis in its employ that no necessity arises for the opinion of men who have spent the whole of their professional life in treating this disease; and why, where the county tuberculosis medical officer has expressed the opinion that the tuberculosis is due to war service, such opinion is usually ignored and no pension awarded?
§ Major TRYONFull consideration is always given by my Department to reports 1729W by tuberculosis officers and medical superintendents of sanatoria on cases of tuberculosis, but it is obvious that decisions on the question of entitlement to pension in the case of tuberculosis as in that of any other disability must rest with my Department. I am glad to be able to assure the hon. Member that I have the advantage of the services of a sufficient number of medical men with expert knowledge of the disease to advise me for this purpose.
§ Mr. W. GRAHAMasked the Minister of Pensions whether he is aware that it was arranged more than two years ago that medical officers with special experience in tuberculosis would be present on medical boards when such cases came up for review; whether ex-service men have now drawn attention to the fact that such medical officers are no longer allowed to appear on final medical boards; and whether, in view of the fact that these specialists are in a much better position to define a man's condition, he will arrange that they shall be present?
§ Major TRYONI think the hon. Member is under some misapprehension. The special medical boards by which a man is examined when a final award is in contemplation always comprises a specialist in the particular disability, and in addition, in cases of pulmonary tuberculosis a report from the tuberculosis officer is always obtained before the case is considered for a final award, and is laid before the examining medical board.