§ Mr. GROVESasked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that within the County Borough of West Ham a medical research committee has been formed composed of all the medical staff of the borough council, certain of the staffs of the local hospitals, and several local medical practitioners, and that this committee has paid serious attention to the questions of cancer and tuberculosis; and whether, in view of the urgent necessity of this specially scientific research being national instead of local, he will consider the recommendation for the establishment of such local medical committees in all counties, and through the Ministry of Health provide the highest specialists in these subjects to collaborate with all local medical workers in order that the greatest possible degree of efficiency be obtained?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINThe answer to the first part of the question is in the 815W affirmative. As regards the second part, attention has already been called in memoranda issued from the Department to the advantages which may be derived from the consideration of certain problems relating to cancer by local committees of this nature, and I do not doubt that they could do valuable work in other directions. It would be premature, however, at this stage to make any general recommendation to all counties, or to set up the specialist organisation suggested.