HC Deb 18 March 1920 vol 126 cc2404-5W
Lieut.-Colonel FREMANTLE

asked the Minister of Health whether public health authorities are responding to the pressure he is putting upon them to provide further institutional accommodation for tuberculosis; whether such provision would require the diversion of labour and material from housing operations; and whether he will therefore require health authorities in the first instance to make full use for this purpose of any vacant accommodation in poor law infirmaries?

Dr. ADDISON

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. I am doing all that is possible to facilitate the use by public health authorities for the treatment of tuberculosis of vacant poor law accommodation in so far as it is suitable for this purpose, but the need for further provision for this purpose cannot be wholly met in this way. I do not think that the limited amount of new building which is required in order to provide additional sanatorium accommodation will seriously affect housing operations, and in any case the erection of new sanatoria in some parts of the country is a matter or urgency.