MINERS' WELFARE FUND (SOUTH WALES AND MONMOUTH).
asked the Secretary for Mines the amount contributed from the mines of Monmouthshire to the welfare fund since its inception, the amount of grant made to Monmouthshire, with particulars as to its allocation, and the amount not distributed; and will he see that the fund is disbursed as expeditiously as possible?
As provided by the Mining Industry Act, 1920, Monmouthshire is joined with South Wales to form a district for the purposes of the Miners' Welfare, and no separate figures for that country are available. The figures for South Wales and Monmouthshire up to 30th June, 1923, are as follow: £ s. d. Contributions 423,063 18 0 Four-fifths of this amount which is reserved by Statute for local schemes 338,451 2 6 Grants allocated to specific schemes 221,475 10 0 Grants paid 183,128 10 0 Net credit to district fund 155,323 2 6 The grants made have been mainly in respect of institutes and recreation grounds, but include upwards of £80,000 in respect of a convalescent home to serve the whole district and smaller grants for ambulance services in colliery districts. The duty of allocating the fund is vested by law in the Miners' Welfare Committee, but if the hon. Member can give me particulars of any case in which he thinks that there has been unnecessary delay on their part, I will inquire into it. I am not myself aware of any.
CHURCH STREET POST OFFICE, KENSINGTON.
asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that the town sub-post office at Church Street, Kensington, has been placed in the charge of a counter clerk and telegraphist pending the appointment of a new sub-postmaster; whether he is aware that before the Post Office took over the direct responsibility two assistants were employed in addition to the sub-postmaster, and that since his Department has assumed direct control the counter clerk in charge has been instructed that he must manage with one; whether the pay of this girl is 22s. 6d. weekly; and, if so, whether he will cause inquiry to be made as to the circumstances which have led to the reduction in staff and to the payment of such a low wage for work of considerable responsibility?
I understand that the sub-postmaster took little personal part in the business of the office, and the force employed since it was placed in charge has, therefore, been practically equivalent to that employed before A third officer is, however, now in attendance, to meet a temporary increase of work. The wages of 22s. 6d. referred to were those paid by the sub-postmaster; and, as a new appointment will probably be made within a few days, it is not considered necessary to review them.
TUBERCULOSIS (INSTITUTIONAL TREATMENT, LEICESTER).
asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that the cases for Government treatment for tuberculosis are limited in Leicester to 30; and, seeing that, in view of the fact that every insured person contributes to this treatment, this is an insufficient number, and that in consequence the voluntary institution is overcrowded with surgical tuberculosis cases which largely hamper its other work, will he inquire into the matter?
The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. On the 1st July the number of persons receiving institutional treatment for tuberculosis from the Leicester Town Council was 217. I am not aware of the actual number of cases of surgical tuberculosis included in this figure, but the provision made by local authorities for the treatment of this disease would naturally have the effect of relieving the pressure upon voluntary institutions. In the circumstances, I see no necessity for an special inquiry, and I may point out that the health insurance contributions payable by insured persons do not now include any payment towards the cost of institutional treatment for tuberculosis.
HOUSING ACT, 1919.
asked the Minister of Health what has been the allocation of the 176,000 houses erected under the Housing Act, 1919, giving the names of the local authorities among which the houses have been allocated, and the numbers allocated to each local authority?
The houses referred to are divided among some 1,300 authorities, and I do not think that a statement such as the hon. Member suggests is of sufficient value to justify the labour and expense of its preparation. If, however, the hon. Member desires to have information as to any particular place I shall be glad to supply it.
SEWAGE PURIFICATION.
asked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been called to the process of sewage purification covered by the world's patents which are the property of the Septic Gas Company of Australia, Limited; whether he is aware that it is claimed that a mechanical self-contained process has been discovered for the purification of sewage and trades waste by the production of gas, without the formation of organic sludge, whereby the pollution of air, land, and river is eliminated, and that the gas produced as a result is the purest and of the highest calorific value and is highly suitable for the working of any type of internal-combustion engine; and whether, having regard to the vast sums expended on the disposal of sewage, he will institute an inquiry into the merits of this process?
I am aware of the process to which the hon. Member refers, and my Department is watching this and various other experiments that are being made for producing gas from sewage. I am advised, however, that the particular process referred to by the hon. Member is essentially a process for making gas from sewage sludge, and that it should not be assumed that its adoption would obviate the need for other measures of purification.