§ Mr. T. A. LEWISasked the Minister of Health whether Sergeant F. H. Margerrison, formerly one of the inspectors of nuisances and a sanitary surveyor to the Bakewell rural district council, who, as a member of the Derbyshire Yeomanry, was called up for active service with his unit in August, 1914. and remained in the service of the Crown until the conclusion of hostilities, was demobilised on the application of the Bakewell rural district council and returned to duty in April, 1919: whether the Bakewell rural district council at a later date decided that there should be only one inspector of nuisances for their area and obtained the sanction of the Ministry of Health: whether the Ministry of Health made due inquiries as to the manner in which Sergeant Margerrison would be affected by this arrangement: whether the Ministry of Health instructed the Bakewell rural district council in their advertisement for an inspector of nuisances to state that preference would be given to discharged or disabled soldiers and sailors; whether this instruction was obeyed by the district council; whether the Bakewell rural district council in December last appointed as their inspector of nuisances their former highway surveyor, who had not served with the military forces and who had acted as a temporary substitute for Sergeant Margerrison during the latter's period of military service; whether the 1697W district council subsequently gave Sergeant Margerrison three months' notice to terminate his engagement; whether these acts on the part of the Bakewell rural district council were performed with the approval of the Ministry of Health; and whether, failing any evidence of dereliction of duty or incapacity on the part of the inspectors of nuisances who have served with the armed forces of the Crown, the Ministry of Health will refuse their sanction to any arrangement which involves their dismissal from their office?
§ Dr. ADDISONThe facts as stated in the first part of the question are substantially correct, but I would point out that the man appointed to the post of inspector of nuisances for the whole district enlisted but was passed for home service only, and ordered by the military authorities to remain in his civil employment. I am glad to say that Mr. Margerrison has now been appointed, with my sanction, to a similar post in another district.