MEDICAL AID FOR ARMY AND CIVIL POPULATION.
asked the Prime Minister whether he is aware of the risk of cutting off at its source the supply of medical aid both for the Army and for the civil population which is incurred by recruiting first and second year medical students; and will he see that the practice is discontinued?
The present policy was undertaken after the most careful consideration, but the statistics bearing upon the matter are being further examined.
asked the Prime Minister why the medical profession is not starred, since a doctor represents a skilled worker who is not easily replaced and whose training occasions considerable outlay and occupies a long period of time?
Special arrangements have been made with regard to the recruitment of the medical profession with a view to ensuring all adequate attendance on the troops without unnecessarily dislocating the medical needs of the civil population. The question of starring does not arise.
CENTRAL MEDICAL WAR COMMITTEE.
asked the Prime Minister by whose authority the Central Medical War Committee, which is now occupied in recruiting doctors to the Royal Army Medical Corps, was chosen; by whom were its powers defined; what are those powers; and by whose nomination have its members been selected?
The Committee referred to in the question was, I am informed, appointed, and its terms of reference settled, by the British Medical Association at its annual representative meeting in July last; it was not confined to members of that association, and the Committee co-opted five additional members representative of universities and colleges and of other medical bodies. One of the members of the Committee, being a member of the War Office Medical Advisory Board, was named by the Director-General to represent the Army Medical Service on the Committee. The terms of reference are as follows:—To organise the medical profession in England, Wales and Ireland in such a way as will enable the Government to use every medical practitioner fit to serve the country in such a manner as to turn his qualifications to the best possible use; to deal with all matters affecting the medical profession arising in connection with the War; and to report to the Council (of the British Medical Association). After a conference at the War Office with the Director-General of the Army Medical Service, the Committee was informed on 9th August, 1915 (in a letter which has been published), that the Director-General hoped to receive from the Committee much help in his work of providing officers for the Royal Army Medical Corps, and was glad to recognise the Committee as a medium for dealing with the great problem which faced the medical profession, namely, how to supply medical officers for the Forces and at the same time to protect the needs of the civil population; and the Committee was accordingly authorised to make appeals to the profession with the object of securing these needs.
A further conference took place at the War Office with the Director-General of Recruiting on 5th November last on the same subject, and to the same effect. As a result of these conferences, this Committee, which has local committees in all parts of the country, has been endeavouring to procure and to co-ordinate offers from members of the medical profession of service in the Royal Army Medical Corps. Applications for such commissions are decided upon by the War Office after they have been referred to this Committee for consideration in relation to the medical needs of the civil population in the area concerned in each case, and after consultation with the Insurance Commission and (where necessary) with the Local Government Board and the Board of Education. Analogous arrangements exist in regard to Scotland.
I should add that the War Office have received and are receiving very valuable assistance from these committees.
asked the Prime Minister whether the Government has sanctioned the recruiting, through the agency of the Central War Committee, of medical men up to the age of forty-five, the limit of age for the rest of the nation being forty-one?
The age limit referred to in the question relates to medical men applying for commissions in the Royal Army Medical Corps, and not to recruits for the combatant services, in which the age limit of forty-one applies.
WET CANTEENS FOR WORKMEN.
asked the Minister of Munitions whether the question of the establishment of wet canteens has made progress since 15th December; and whether he is now able to offer the workers in any of the districts a choice of wholesome and palatable beers of low alcoholic content?
I am informed by the Central Control Board (Liquor Traffic) that no wet canteens have been established by them. The matter is still under consideration by the Board. A number of canteens at munition works are conducted as clubs, and intoxicating liquor is supplied to the members. The Board's investigations on the subject of light beer are as yet incomplete.
asked the Minister of Munitions how the munition workers are associated with the management of the canteens of their districts?
I understand that at a certain number of canteens supplying the needs of the employés at munition works the workers have a voice in the management, and the Central Control Board (Liquor Traffic) are favourable to this principle.
PLATINUM USED IN JEWELLERY.
asked the Minister of Munitions, with reference to his recent Order on the subject of platinum metals, and with reference to Regulation 30A of the Defence of the Realm (Consolidation) Regulations, 1914, whether he will give instructions to ensure that the issue of permits to the retail jewellery trade in respect of manufactured stocks at present held by them is expedited as much as possible; and whether in the meantime the Order in question may be varied to the extent of permitting the sale by the retail trade without permit of articles of jewellery in which the value of the platinum does not exceed, say, 25 percent., or such other proportion as may be considered adequate, of the total value of such articles?
Arrangements have been made to avoid any delay in granting permits to jewellers to sell their existing stocks of jewellery. It is therefore unnecessary to deal with the question of a percentage.
LIBURY HALL (GERMAN FARM COLONY).
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will consider the possibility of adapting the property known as Libury Hall, Hertfordshire (at present used as a German farm colony), for use as an internment camp or convalescent home for wounded British soldiers; and whether he will consider the advisability of repatriating or interning the ninety Germans now residing there or interned, and of transferring the superintendent, Müller, to an internment camp?
Libury Hall, which used to be a German farm colony, has been under the control of the Government since the beginning of last year as a hospital internment camp for aged and infirm alien enemies, and this appears to foe the most useful purpose to which it can be put. All the German inmates, including Müller, are interned in the camp.
Trials of Foreigners (Translation of Evidence).
asked the Prime Minister whether it is the intention of the Government to introduce legislation to give statutory effect to the views expressed by the Court of Criminal Appeal in the case of the King v. Lee Kun, with respect to the translation of evidence to foreigners tried on indictment?
No legislation is considered necessary.
Russian Seamen's Union (Police Raid).
asked the Home Secretary whether the office of the Russian Seamen's Union has been raided by the police and funds found there seized; whether the residences of officials and friends or members of this trades union have also been raided; whether this action was taken at the instigation of Russian police emissaries in this country; and whether he can make a statement in this connection?
I am informed by the Commissioner of Police that the office was searched in pursuance of a warrant issued by the competent military authority. No funds were seized. One private residence was also searched, but the occupier is not known to be a member of the union. The action taken was not instigated by anyone connected with the Russian authorities.
Children Act.
asked the Home Secretary how many certificates, under the proviso to Sub-section (1) of Section 97 or Subsection (3) of Section 102 of the Children Act, 1908, were issued in England and Wales in 1914?
As stated in reply to a question by my hon. Friend on the 8th June, 1915, the number of young persons committed to prison in the year ended 31st March, 1915, with a certificate under Subsection (3) of Section 102 of the Children Act, was eight. For the reasons given in the reply to the question asked on the 29th June last, I am unable to give the figures of young persons sent to prison on remand or on committal for trial.
asked the Home Secretary how many children were in England and Wales committed in 1914 to industrial schools under Sub-section (5) of Section 58 of the Children Act, 1908; and how many of those so committed were committed on the ground of refractory conduct?
The number committed under this Sub-section was twenty-six. All these children were committed on the ground of refractory conduct.
Warble Fly (Destruction).
asked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) whether he will consider the advisability of introducing regulations making it compulsory on cattle owners to take measures to prevent the warble fly from being germinated in the animals owned by them?
The Department are at present investigating the feasibility of the suggestion referred to. If the result of the experiments now in progress are satisfactory, the Department will be prepared to consider the question of enforcing by law the destruction of warbles.