§ Mr. Horabinasked the Minister of Health (1) how many men, women and children, not serving in His Majesty's Forces, have suffered injuries to their eyes as a result of enemy action which will bring them within the accepted definition of blind persons; what arrangement he has made to ensure that local authorities exercise their responsibilities towards all such persons under the Blind Persons Acts; and what machinery has been established to ensure that notification is given to the responsible local authority in each case by the hospital in which any such person is a patient?
(2) whether the payment he arranged to make to St. Dunstan's for the preliminary rehabilitation of civilian blinded persons while under hospital treatment at St. Dunstan's, will be payable to other voluntary organisations undertaking the preliminary rehabilitation of patients in other hospitals; and whether such payments could be extended to the whole period required for rehabilitation and retraining for occupations which can be pursued by blind persons?
Mr. M. MacDonaldUp to date 28 civilians (19 men and 9 women) have been reported to me as being in hospital with injuries resulting or likely to result in blindness. I regret that the records in the Ministry do not show whether any of these are under 16 years of age. Eleven of these 28 are already at St. Dunstan's. At present, the names of all such casualties who are not transferred to St. Dunstan's are being reported to the National Institute for the Blind, who are making provisional arrangements for their rehabilitation and for notification to local authorities; and arrangements to deal with larger numbers, if necessary, are under consideration in consultation with the appropriate agencies. The question of vocational training for a fresh occupation is the concern of my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour and National Service, with whom I am in communication on the matter. Payment is made to any hospital in which a civilian blinded as a result of enemy action receives hospital treatment.