asked the Minister of Health for what period public primary vaccination, as carried out under the regulations of his Department, which came into force on the 1st October, 1929, can be regarded as providing an effective protection against small-pox; and how frequently the operation should be repeated in order to maintain such protection?

The Vaccination Order to which the question refers was issued in order to give effect to certain recommendations of the Committee on Vaccination whose report was published in 1928. One of those recommendations was that primary vaccination should be performed in infancy between the ages of two and six months, and that re-vaccination should be offered when the child enters school (five to seven years), and again on leaving (14 to 16 years). It is clear, therefore, that the view of the committee was that the duration of immunity following primary vaccination is at least five years, and that the operation should be repeated on two occasions.

asked the Minister of Health whether, in cases where vaccination is insisted upon, either by public or private employers of labour, as a condition of entering into or remaining in such employment, he will consider the advisability of introducing legislation to secure that any injuries which may result from the operation shall be regarded as involving compensation under the provisions of the Workmen's Compensation Acts?

I have been asked to reply to this question. The principle as laid down in Section 1 of the Workmen's Compensation Act, 1925, is to give compensation for personal injury by accident arising out of and in the course of employment, and I could not recommend legislation to extend the Act to death or injury due to vaccination where the circumstances are not such as to bring: the case within the terms of that Section.

asked the Minister of Health how many deaths from small-pox were registered in the year 1935, and the age at death of the persons so dying?

No deaths from small-pox were registered in England and Wales in 1935.

asked the Minister of Health how many deaths were registered in the year 1935 as being due to vaccination; how many certificates were received on which the words vaccination or vaccinia appeared as the cause or one of the causes of death; and also the ages of each of the persons referred to in these death certificates?

The answer to the first part of the question is eight. Neither vaccinia nor vaccination was mentioned as a cause of death in any other medical certificate. The ages of the persons concerned were three weeks, one month, one month, two months, four months, seven months, seventeen years, and fifty years, respectively.

asked the Minister of Health whether rabbits are still used in the Government lymph establishment in connection with the production of the supplies of calf lymph issued to public vaccinators; and what measures are adopted to secure that the rabbits so used are not suffering from spontaneous encephalitis?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the second part, the rabbits are born and reared on the premises, and are used at the age of three to four months. There is, therefore, ample opportunity for observing their condition. Further, as I am advised, there is no affinity between the encephalitis of rabbits and post-vaccinal encephalitis.

asked the Minister of Health whether he has yet been approached by the Cam Parochial Com- mittee for a grant towards the proposed sewerage scheme; and whether he has recommended a grant?

The Dursley Rural District Council approached me on the subject, and I informed them that I have no funds at my disposal out of which such a grant could be made.

asked the Minister of Health whether any report has yet been received with regard to the gassing of the inmates of the casual ward dormitory of Romford Public Assistance Institution on the morning of 20th January last?

I have not yet received the report of the inspectors whom I instructed to visit the institution. I understand, however, that steps have already been taken which will prevent a repetition of this unfortunate occurrence.

asked the Home Secretary whether he can state the number of accidents to date, and with what result, that have been caused by, or to, motor-cars driven by police officers in the Metropolitan Police force; and will he give particulars of any compensation or grants that have been made as the result of same?

The records kept of accidents include every case of damage, however slight, to a police car. During 1935 there were 942 cases of slight damage in which no question of a claim arose. In 64 other cases payments were made to the Receiver, and in 176 cases claims were made against the police, of which 155 have been settled by payments totalling approximately £4,000; the remainder are still under negotiation.