24. Mr. Braddockasked the Secretary of State for War why the soldier who declined to be vaccinated on the troopship " Orion," which arrived in the Mersey on 7th April, was put ashore at Suez; and whether, in view of the fact that soldiers have a right to refuse vaccination and the additional fact that all the smallpox cases landed from troopships in this country have been vaccinated and revaccinated men, he will stop this treatment of men who exercise their rights in this matter.
§ Mr. LawsonFollowing the discovery of a case of smallpox on board the " Orion " all personnel were offered vaccination. One man refused. He was put on shore at Suez because it was considered that there would be a serious risk of his contracting smallpox himself and if this had happened it would also have increased the risk of infection for other men on board. I consider that the action taken was perfectly correct in the circumstances.