§ Sir E. GRAHAM-LITTLEasked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that, under the present regulations governing benefit for persons insured under the National Health Insurance Acts, no facilities are provided enabling medical practitioners having the care of such patients to apply laboratory procedures, either in the diagnosis of disease for the direction of treatment along the most effective lines, or in making the best possible use of many modern advances in medical knowledge; and whether he will make provision for such a laboratory service at an early date?
Sir H. YOUNGI am, of course, aware that diagnostic facilities of the kind referred to are not provided for insured persons as part of medical benefit under the National Health Insurance Acts. Such facilities are, however, widely available through the agency of hospitals and other institutions, and I cannot hold out any immediate prospect of the extension of the scope of medical benefit in this direction.