§ MR. R. YOUNGasked the Minister of Pensions if the war pensions committee for Hastings are appointing additional doctors to act as medical referees; whether in these appointments he will advise that priority be given to doctors who have served in the Services abroad and whose practices have thereby suffered; and that in these cases, where the doctor is not on the panel under the National Health Insurance Acts, this will be favourably considered as an additional reason for appointment, provided that in all cases medical qualifications are equal to other applicants?
§ Sir L. WORTHINGTON - EVANSThe answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. Local committees are in fact not empowered to appoint medical referees. With regard to the remainder of the question, it is the practice of the Ministry to give preference to medical men who have served abroad, with a second preference to medical men who have served at home, and subject to these preferences to appoint men who have not had service and, amongst them doctors not on the panel are preferred as likely to be able to devote more time to the work.