Written Answers
Education (Richard Platt Foundation)
asked the President of the Board of Education whether, with regard to the scheme established on 2nd November, altering the foundation of Richard Platt, and the suggestions made by the Aldenham Parish Council and
| England.* | Wales.* | Scotland. | England and Wales. | ||||||
| Year. | Acreage. | Estimated total production. | Acreage. | Estimated total production. | Acreage. | Estimated total production. | Annual average price of British wheat per quarter, Imperial measure. | ||
| Acres. | Quarters. | Acres. | Quarters. | Acres. | Quarters. | s. | d. | ||
| 1920 | … | 1,824,037 | 6,515,000 | 50,548 | 154,000 | 54,359 | 260,000 | 80 | 10 |
| 1921 | … | 1,937,229 | 8,584,000 | 38,750 | 137,000 | 65,191 | 321,000 | 71 | 6 |
| 1922 | … | 1,931,214 | 7,539,000 | 35,652 | 124,000 | 65,251 | 315,000 | 47 | 10 |
| 1923 | … | 1,703,706 | 6,731,000 | 36,500 | 128,000 | 58,789 | 290,000 | 42 | 2 |
| 1924 | … | 1,518,148 | 6,130,000 | 26,616 | 90,000 | 49,449 | 231,000 | 49 | 3 |
| 1925 | … | 1,476,160 | 6,045,000 | 23,336 | 82,000 | 48,617 | 246,000 | 52 | 2 |
| 1926 | … | 1,565,748 | 5,798,000 | 26,459 | 95,000 | 53,777 | 256,000 | 53 | 3 |
| 1927 | … | 1,610,152 | 6,422,000 | 25,777 | 90,000 | 66,577 | 305,000 | 49 | 3 |
| 1928‡ | … | 1,375,000 | 5,410,000 | 20,600 | 71,000 | 61,000 | † | 43 | 3§ |
| * In 1923 and subsequent years Wales includes Monmouth; in previous years Monmouth was included in England. | |||||||||
| † Figures not yet available. | |||||||||
| ‡ Figures for 1928 are provisional and subject to revision. | |||||||||
| § Average of the 46 weeks ending 17th November. | |||||||||
others, he will state, and notify the parties concerned, the reasons for the failure to embody their suggestions in the scheme?
This scheme was made on the application of the governing bodies concerned to carry out certain agreed proposals, and in the circumstances the Board could not ignore the reservations under which the governing bodies were willing to proceed. I am advised that the arrangement made is a reasonable one and is justified on educational grounds.
Wheat (Home Production And Prices)
asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will give the following information concerning the wheat produced in England, Scotland, and Wales during the years 1920 to 1928, both inclusive, showing each year separately under the headings: acreage, quarters of wheat produced, and average price realised?
The following statement gives the acreage and production of wheat in England, Wales and' Scotland, together with the annual average price per quarter, imperial measure, of British wheat in England and Wales, as ascertained under the Corn Returns Act, 1882, and the Corn Sales Act, 1921:
Motor-Drivers' Licences
asked the Minister of Transport whether he has considered a suggestion that persons taking out motor-drivers' licences should have the option of taking them out for one-, two-, three-, or four-year periods?
A somewhat similar suggestion has already been considered and I am advised that its adoption would require legislation. The chief value of the driving licence is as a means of identifying and tracing the holder. If it remained valid for a period of years, changes of address and other similar accidents would render it, in many cases, entirely valueless for this purpose. Under the existing system an applicant has to furnish his name and address year by year on renewal of the licence under a penalty of making a false declaration. The proposals contained in the draft Road Traffic Bill that an applicant for a driving
| Year. | To County and Borough Mental Hospitals. | To all other Institutions for the Insane and to Private Single Care. | Total. | ||||||
| 1923 | … | … | … | … | … | … | 21,375 | 1,679 | 23,054 |
| 1924 | … | … | … | … | … | … | 19,704 | 1,599 | 21,303 |
| 1925 | … | … | … | … | … | … | 20,327 | 1,457 | 21,784 |
| 1926 | … | … | … | … | … | … | 20,466 | 1,458 | 2,924 |
| 1927 | … | … | … | … | … | … | 20,474 | 1,419 | 21,893 |
Diphtheria (Schick Test)
asked the Minister of Health whether there are any methods of cooperation now in force between his Department and the various educational and administrative departments in the Metropolitan area for the introduction of immunisation by means of the Schick test for the purpose of reducing the attack rate of diphtheria?
Yes, Sir. Many of the Metropolitan borough councils have undertaken, with the sanction of my Department, immunisation work of the kind indicated in the question. I understand that the London County Council do not directly participate in this work, but in their capacity as local educa-
licence should make a declaration as to his physical fitness, if adopted, would render it still more important that the application should be renewed year by year. The holder of a long-period licence might well incur some physical disability which would render it dangerous for him to continue driving. For these reasons, I am not prepared to recommend the introduction of the necessary legislation.
Public Health
Mental Hospitals (Admissions)
asked the Minister of Health whether he can state for each quarter during the last five years the number of new admissions to mental hospitals?
New admissions to mental hospitals in England and Wales during the last five years have been as follow:tion authority they assist, when requested, by the dissemination of information on this subject through the schools.
Housing (Statistics)
asked the Minister of Health the annual contributions made each year in respect of housing schemes in England and Wales under the Housing Acts of 1919, 1923, 1924, and 1926, and the number of houses in each case for each year in respect of which the subsidy was paid, including houses reconstructed under the last Act?
The following statement gives the desired information.
Exchequer Contributions in respect of Housing Schemes in England and Wales. | |||||||||||
| Number of Houses (completed by the end of each financial year), towards the expenses of which annual Exchequer Contributions are made. | Amount of annual Exchequer Contributions paid in each financial year. | ||||||||||
| Financial Year. | Housing, Town Planning, etc., Act, 1919. | Housing etc., Act, 1923. | Housing (Financial Provisions) Act, 1924. | Housing (Rural Workers) Act, 1926. | Totals. | Housing, Town Planning, etc., Act, 1919. | Housing, etc., Act, 1923. | Housing (Financial Provisions) Act, 1924. | Housing (Rural Workers) Act, 1926. | Totals. | Financial Year. |
| £ | £ | £ | £ | ||||||||
| 1919–1920 | 715 | — | — | — | 715 | 2,653 | — | — | — | 2,653 | 1919–1920 |
| 1920–1921 | 17,597 | — | — | — | 17,597 | 525,728 | — | — | — | 525,728 | 1920–1921 |
| 1921–1922 | 100,516 | — | — | — | 100,516 | 4,533,229 | — | — | — | 4,533,229 | 1921–1922 |
| 1922–1923 | 159,002 | — | — | — | 159,002 | 7,226.327 | — | — | — | 7,226,327 | 1922–1923 |
| 1923–1924 | 169,526 | 8,140 | — | — | 177,666 | 7,774,664 | 6,108 | — | — | 7,780,772 | 1923–1924 |
| 1924–1925 | 172,428 | 70,421 | 2,480 | — | 245,335 | 7,863,710 | 96,665 | 1,885 | — | 7,962,260 | 1924–1925 |
| 1925–1926 | 173,515 | 149,043 | 29,764 | — | 352,322 | 7,262,266 | 439,641 | 88,683 | — | 7,790,590 | 1925–1926 |
| 1926–1927 | 174,397 | 241,649 | 90,055 | — | 506,101 | 6,935,472 | 948,260 | 474,436 | — | 8,358,1680 | 1926–1927 |
| 1927–1928 | 174,593 | 328,516 | 181,574 | 44 | 684,727 | 6,862,791 | 1,509,428 | 1,167,022 | — | 9,539,241 | 1927–1928 |
| 1928–1929 | 174,603 | 363,981 | 214,567 | 343* | 753,494 | 3,565,206 | 1,035,465 | 1,001,567 | — | 5,602,238 | 1928–1929 |
| (7 months to 31.10.28) | (7 months to 31.10.28). | ||||||||||
| Totals | 52,552,046 | 4,035,567 | 2,733,593 | — | 59,321,206 | ||||||
In addition, the following lump sum grants were paid under the Housing (Additional Powers) Act, 1919;—
| Financial Year. | Number of Houses completed. | Amount of Exchequer grant. | |||||
| £ | |||||||
| 1920–21 | … | … | … | … | … | 11,208 | 2,528,552 |
| 1921–22 | … | … | … | … | … | 18,233 | 4,540,424 |
| 1922–23 | … | … | … | … | … | 9,738 | 2,422,746 |
| 1923–24 | … | … | … | … | … | 7 | 1,433 |
| 39,186 | 9,493,155 | ||||||
* To 30th September, 1928, only. | |||||||
asked the Minister of Health if he will state the expenditure of local authorities in respect of maintenance and other charges; in respect of loan charges; and the total expenditure in England and Wales on housing in 1925–26, 1926–27, and 1927–28, respectively?
| Year. | Maintenance and other expenses not being loan charges. | Loan charges. | Total. | ||||
| 1. | 2. | 3. | 4. | ||||
| £ | £ | £ | |||||
| 1925–26 | … | … | … | … | 4,368,250 | 15,215,498 | 19,583,748 |
| 1926–27 | … | … | … | … | 5,360,000* | 18,510,000* | 23,870,000* |
| * Approximate. | |||||||
Devonport Dockyard (Established And Hired Men)
asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he will give the figures showing the number of established and hired men employed in Devon-port Dockyard in each of the months of this year?
I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to him on 21st November (OFFICIAL REPORT, col. 1,737).
The particulars are as follow:Expenditure (other than from capital) of local authorities in England and Wales on housing. Years 1925–26 and 1926–27. (Figures for 1927–28 are not yet available.)
Unemployment Insurance (Deputy Umpires)
asked the Minister of Labour the number of deputy umpires who are engaged to assist the Umpire in deciding the many appeals under the Unemployment Insurance Act?
There are at present three deputy umpires.