§ Mr. Rhys Daviesasked the Minister of Labour what is the physical standard laid down by his Department for ex-miners who are directed to return to the pits; how does this compare with the standard for men who are conscripted for His Majesty's Forces; how many ex-miners are, on the average, passed as physically fit per hour by the doctor; what is the comparison between these figures and those dealt with by medical boards who examine men for the Forces; and what are the fees paid to doctors in each case?
§ Mr. BevinThe physical standard laid down for ex-miners returning to the pits for underground work is that examiners should be satisfied that a man's general physique is such as to enable him to undertake work at or near the coal face; examiners are asked to give special attention to cases where valvular disease of the heart may be suspected. Men are to be rejected if found to be suffering from any disease of the following classes:
- (1) All forms of tubercular disease.
- (2) All cases of uncontrollable hernia.
These instructions were issued after consultation with the medical inspection staff of the Mines Department and after consideration of the parallel conditions laid down for other cases of special recruitment. I regret that I have no information as to the number of men who are 1014W on an average passed as physically fit per hour. Doctors are paid a fee of 5s. for each man examined. Members of medical boards examining men under the National Service Acts are paid at the rate of two guineas a session for the first five sessions in a week and one and a half guineas for any subsequent sessions in the week. The chairman receives an additional half guinea. About 25 men are examined at a session, which normally lasts for two and a half hours.