Written Answers To Questions
Demobilisation (Police War Reserve Service)
asked the Minister of Labour whether service in the London Police War Reserve, prior to being called up for the Forces, will count for demobilisation.
No, Sir.
International Sanitary Conventions
asked the Minister of Health why, in view of the failure of vaccination to protect against smallpox in Army personnel in Egypt in some cases even for two months, it is proposed in the International Sanitary Conventions for Maritime and Aerial Navigation to fix the validity of a certificate of vaccination against smallpox at not more than three years from the date of issue; and what percentage of the population of England and Wales have been protected against smallpox by vaccination within three years of the present date.
The period of three years which is specified in the form of International Certificate of Vaccination against Smallpox recommended in the International Sanitary Conventions of 1944, and which relates, as the form shows, to a vaccination or re-vaccination found by the certifying doctor on inspection to have given satisfactory results, had been recommended by international bodies of high competence and experience before its inclusion in the Conventions of 1944 by the participating Governments. As regards the alleged failure of vaccination of military personnel in Egypt, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply to his question addressed to the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs on the 5th June. As regards the last part of the Question, I am not in possession of statistics which provide this information.
Validation Of War-Time Leases Act
asked the Attorney-General if he has any statement to make as to when the war in Europe is deemed to have come to an end for the purpose of bringing into effect the provisions of the Validation of War-time Leases Act, 1944, as regards tenancies for the duration or any other similar terms.
This matter has been under consideration, and the Government have recommended to His Majesty that an Order in Council should be made under Section 2 of the Act to which my hon. and gallant Friend refers. It is hoped that it will be made within a very few days.