Oral Answers to Questions — National Health Service – in the House of Commons am 12:00 am ar 7 Ebrill 1949.
Dr Louis Comyns
, West Ham Silvertown
12:00,
7 Ebrill 1949
asked the Minister of Health where expectant mothers attending ante-natal clinics should obtain maternity packs and dressings for the lying-in period; if he is aware that the West Ham local authority is refusing to issue such free packs and dressings, and that expectant mothers are referred to their general practitioners for the sterile dressings, etc.; and whether it is in order for practitioners to issue such prescriptions.
Mr Aneurin Bevan
, Ebbw Vale
Local health authorities should arrange for maternity outfits for domiciliary confinements to be supplied at clinics, through midwives, or in some other convenient way, and for other dressings required during the lying-in period to be provided by the midwife in attendance. I understand that the West Ham Council are at once reconsidering their practice. Maternity outfits and sterilised dressings are not included in the schedule of appliances which a general practitioner may prescribe for his National Health Service patients.
Ministers make up the Government and almost all are members of the House of Lords or the House of Commons. There are three main types of Minister. Departmental Ministers are in charge of Government Departments. The Government is divided into different Departments which have responsibilities for different areas. For example the Treasury is in charge of Government spending. Departmental Ministers in the Cabinet are generally called 'Secretary of State' but some have special titles such as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ministers of State and Junior Ministers assist the ministers in charge of the department. They normally have responsibility for a particular area within the department and are sometimes given a title that reflects this - for example Minister of Transport.
