HC Deb 19 June 1941 vol 372 cc844-5W
Viscountess Astor

asked the Minister of Health whether he has asked local authorities to make a complete return of all the equipment purchased by them on behalf of the Government since the beginning of the war for use in Emergency Medical Service hospitals, emergency maternity homes, rest centres, welfare centres, etc.?

Mr. E. Brown

Local authorities have since 1939 been required to furnish periodical returns of equipment, purchased by them at the expense of the Exchequer, for the Emergency Medical Service hospitals, and since November, 1940, for first aid posts. In a recent circular, I have asked them to furnish returns of normally non-consumable articles similarly purchased for the other services to which my hon. Friend refers.

Mr. Groves

asked the Minister of Health how many medical committees, advisory or executive, are referred to by him in relation to the national emergency, including the Central Medical War Committee and Advisory Emergency Medical Committee; how, when and by whom were they appointed, and what is their constitution?

Mr- Brown

The following is the information desired by my hon. Friend: —

Central Medical War Committee and Advisory Emergency Hospital Medical Service Committee, the appointment and constitution of which are set out in replies to my hon. Friends the Members for Ash-ford, Stratford and Rochdale on 26th October, 1939, 12th December, 1939, and 20th February, 1941, respectively;

Medical Advisory Committee on Rehabilitation, consisting of a number of specialists on this subject invited by the Minister in November, 1940, to advise the Director General, Emergency Medical Services, from time to time on the rehabilitation of patients under the Emergency Hospital Scheme;

Standing Advisory Committee on Physiotherapy, consisting of medical practitioners with special experience of this form of treatment, selected in July, 1940, by the Minister's Consultant Advisers in collaboration with official representatives of the specialists concerned, to advise the Director General, Emergency Medical Services, on the facilities required for this form of treatment in hospitals under the Emergency Hospital Scheme.

Lord Horder's Committee on conditions in air-raid shelters (with particular reference to health) appointed on 14th September, 1940, jointly by the Minister of Health and the Minister of Home Security., and consisting of Lord Horder as Chairman, a Senior Medical Officer of the Ministry of Health, the Chief Engineer of the Ministry of Home Security, and two lay representatives of voluntary organisations concerned in welfare work.