HC Deb 30 July 1925 vol 187 cc667-8W
Sir A. HOLBROOK

asked the Minister of Pensions if he will state, with reference to his promise that preference in sessional work on medical boards would be given to ex-officials of the Ministry who served overseas and suffered in the late War; what has been the average number of medical boards held weekly in London and in Portsmouth in the last three months; how many sessional medical men, other than specialists and assessors, were employed on the medical boards in those places; how many of these sessional medical men were the ex-officials of the Ministry to whom his promise referred; and whether steps will be taken to inform

Mr. GUINNESS

As regards the first part of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to the replies which I gave to the right hon. Gentleman the Member for the Central Division of Newcastle-upon-Tyne (Mr. Trevelyan) on the 28th May last. In reply to the second and third parts of the question, the following are the approximate figures, so far as available:

these ex-officials applying for board work where there are openings for their services in a sessional capacity?

Major TRYON

Over 1,500 medical boards have been held during the past three months in the two districts referred to. I regret that the detailed information asked for regarding the composition of the boards could not be furnished without prolonged research, and would involve an undue expenditure of time and labour. As I have before stated, it is the policy of my Department to give preference in the employment of medical practitioners on a sessional basis to those medical men who have in the past given satisfactory whole-time service, and in the instructions which have been issued in that sense it is laid down that special consideration is to be given to officers suffering from a War disability. If my hon. and gallant Friend has any particular case of grievance in mind, I shall, of course, be happy to look into it if he will let me know details.