§ Mr. PAGETasked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he has seen the resolutions passed by the borough of Cambridge deprecating the action of the military authorities in withdrawing dentists from the practice of their profession and putting them to do the work of ordinary soldiers; and can he say what is die policy of the War Office in the matter?
§ Mr. TENNANTI have not seen the resolution to which the hon. Member refers. Claims for the exemption of dental surgeons whose services the principal medical officer considers indispensable have been assented to conditionally on their services with the troops being continued. In other cases dentists have recourse to tribunals in the ordinary way. A decision by the Central Tribunal in a recent case has been circulated to tribunals. In this case the dentist was granted exemption conditionally on his remaining in his present occupation. The following was added
The Central Tribunal, from evidence submitted to them, are impressed with the danger of farther reducing the number of registered dentists now in this country. Whether any particular dentist should he granted exemption must obviously depend to some extent upon the requirements of the place in which he practises, but they are inclined to think that unless it he shown that his services are not required he should be granted exemption. Similar considerations apply to the mechanics on whom dentists depend for the efficient performance of their work.