§ Mr. Grovesasked the Minister of Health the constitution and functions of local medical war committees; when, how and by whom they were formed; and what were the precise directions given, and to whom, as regards their formation and personnel?
§ Mr. E. Brown:A local medical war committee normally consists of two members elected by the executive committee of the local division of the British Medical Association, two elected by the local Medical and Panel Committee, one nominated by the medical officer of health of the area, two elected by the whole profession of the area at a meeting called for the purpose, two representatives of the medical staffs of hospitals (municipal and voluntary) in the area and, in medical school centres, two further representatives of the teaching hospitals concerned. The committee may co-opt two other practitioners if this is considered necessary to secure that the membership is thoroughly representative of the profession in the area. The constitution of the committee is approved at a meeting of the whole profession of the area, which may introduce such modifications of the normal membership as are considered necessary, in the local circumstances, to maintain its representative character. The functions of the committees are to advise the Central Medical War Committee on the selection of doctors for service with the Forces and for the civilian emergency services, and 41W generally to consider questions as to the allocation of medical personnel under war-time conditions. They were formed in March last by election and nomination in the manner provided in their constitution, and this process is to be repeated annually. As regards the last part of the Question, recommendations concerning the constitution of the committees, as I have just described it, were sent in February, 1940, to honorary secretaries of divisions of the British Medical Association by the secretary of the association, who is secretary of the Central Medical War Committee.