§ Mr. Grovesasked the Minister of Health whether there has been any test of air-raid precautions services in London involving the reception at any hospital of 435W as many as 200 casualties; and whether any report on such tests can be made available?
Mr. M. MacDonaldA test of the kind described by the hon. Member has been made in the London area. The results were satisfactory, but for obvious reasons the report must be treated as confidential.
§ Mr. Grovesasked the Minister of Health whether, as the cost of the maintenance of sick bays is a charge on the responsible local authorities, he will cause local medical war committees in the County of Kent to recover such sums as have been paid in respect of treatment in sick bays?
Mr. MacDonaldThe position is that the general cost of maintenance of sick bays is a charge on the responsible local authorities, but the remuneration of medical practitioners for attendance, within the scope of medical benefit under the National Health Insurance Act, 1936, on unaccompanied evacuated children in sick bays is a proper charge on the funds disbursed by local medical war committees. I do not, therefore, see any grounds for the action suggested by the hon. Member, but if there is any particular case which he wishes to bring to my notice, I shall be glad to inquire into it.
§ Mr. Grovesasked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that at its last meeting the local medical and panel committees for the County of Kent unanimously approved a resolution declaring that a sufficient domiciliary medical service could not possibly be given to persons injured in air raids for the sum of 16s. a year; and whether action will be taken to meet this point?
Mr. MacDonaldThis resolution has not been reported to me, but in any case I see no reason for departing from the scheme which was accepted on behalf of the profession as a whole.