Written Answers To Questions
Resettlement Advice Officers
asked the Minister of Labour how many Resettlement Advice Officers have so far been appointed; how many were promoted from his staff; how many obtained from outside sources; and the proportion of ex-Service men and women amongst the total number appointed.
I am not yet in a position to give my hon. Friend the information for which he asks, as I am at present engaged in selecting provisionally and training the staff for this work. The selection is being made both from within my Department and from outside sources.
Schools (Milk And Meals)
asked the Minister of Education if he will give the figures for the years 1939 and 1944 for free issues of milk and meals to schoolchildren in the Stalybridge and Hyde constituency.
The figures which I have available relate to areas of the local education authorities for Dukinfield, Hyde and Stalybridge and are as follows:
| Number of children receiving free meals and milk on a day in June. | |||||
| 1939. | 1944. | ||||
| Meals. | Milk. | Meals. | Milk. | ||
| Dukinfield | … | 177 | 320 | 185 | 205 |
| Hyde | … | 101 | 260 | 134 | 142 |
| Stalybridge | … | — | 348 | 116 | 137 |
India (Requisitioned Boats, Restoration)
asked the Secretary of State for India whether he is now able to give fuller particulars as to the measures which have been taken to provide compensation or restitution in respect of the large number of boats in Eastern Bengal which it was necessary to remove as a measure of military precaution at an early stage of the war.
In my reply to the hon. Member on 26th October I referred to the removal of 26,000 boats from the denial area. Of this number 836 were returned to previous owners, 149 were given to indigent fishermen and potters gratis, 223 were sold to fishermen and potters on the instalment system, 4,776 were sold in public auction, 3,427 were made over to the military or other authorities, including the Civil Supplies Department of the Government of Bengal, and 9,435 were dismantled and sold as timber. Reports are still awaited in respect of the balance of 7,154 boats, but of this number it is understood that a large proportion will be found not in a fit state for salvage. Besides the 26,000 boats removed from the area, a further 40,000 were registered in compliance with the Registration Order of March, 1942. Of these some were destroyed, some were removed by their owners and some were requisitioned for military use, but detailed figures are not available.Compensation has been paid to the owners of all boats surrendered at the Reception Areas, destroyed en route to these areas, destroyed in the Midnapore District by the orders of the District Magistrate, or requisitioned for military use. The total figure of compensation paid is Rs.84,86,491 (about £636,500).
Jamaica (Social Insurance)
asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the Committee set up about a year ago to inquire into and report upon possible measures of social insurance in Jamaica has yet completed its task; how many meetings it has held; and whether its Report has yet been presented.
The Committee has not yet completed its task. It has so far held three meetings. A Sub-Committee, set up to examine a scheme for old age pensions, is expected to report in a few months, but the work of the full Committee was held up until certain statistics became available from the census, and its report cannot, therefore, be expected for some time.
Bottle Parties
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will consider the introduction of legislation to deal with the continued activities of bottle-parties.
Under Defence Regulations action can be taken by the police, where authorised by me, to close certain classes of premises, which include bottle parties, where drunkenness or disorderly or indecent conduct takes place. If it should turn out that further powers are necessary, the question of introducing legislation for the purpose will receive consideration.
Staines By-Pass (Verges, Returfing)
asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport if he is aware that labour is being utilised to re-turf the verges of the Staines By-Pass; to what extent such labour is under the control of his Ministry; and if he will take the necessary steps to see that in future such work is deferred in favour of the more urgent task of repairing the bomb damage in London.
Pipes have been laid along the Staines By-Pass to serve an adjoining public work. After the pipes were in place, the trenches were filled in and the turf replaced. The work was not under the control of my Department, but I understand that it in no way affected the repair of bomb damage in London.
Public Health
Maternity Service, North-East Cheshire
asked the Minister of Health whether the new plans for a comprehensive medical service will give more accommodation for maternity cases in the north-east Cheshire area.
The object of the Government's proposals is to ensure the planning and provision of a comprehensive service in every area. The method of meeting particular needs in individual areas must in the first instance be considered by those charged under the proposed legislation with the local responsibility for the service.
Smallpox
asked the Minister of Health why an out-of-date pamphlet with regard to the diagnosis of smallpox has been circulated by his Ministry; whether he is aware that this pamphlet does not solve difficulties which have recently arisen in regard to the diagnosis of smallpox; and whether he will commission a doctor with a thorough knowledge of smallpox, chicken-pox and any other disease which may be confused with smallpox, to make a differentiation between the different symptoms of these other diseases for the use of medical officers of health.
The pamphlet to which my hon. Friend refers was written by an authoritative and highly competent author, and I am advised that its value to those who may be concerned in the diagnosis of smallpox is as great to-day as when it was written. I may remind my hon. Friend that I have set up a panel of consultants with special experience of smallpox whose services are available to practitioners when required, and I see no necessity to adopt the suggestion in the last part of the Question.
Diphtheria
asked the Minister of Health how his medical officers were able to estimate the time of exposure to risk of diphtheria amongst immunised and non-immunised children, as stated in the Summary Report; and, if they received any data from medical officers of health on this point, whether he will publish it.
I regret that it is not possible to convey the explanation desired by my hon. Friend in the form of a brief reply, but I am arranging to send him a full explanatory note on the matter. The only statistics obtained from medical officers of health are those given in returns of the number of children immunised in each half-year. The aggregate figures so obtained are published in the Summary Reports of the Ministry.
asked the Minister of Health how many of the 4,820,114 children who were under 15 years of age at the time of immunisation had passed the age of 15 years by 31st May, 1944, and, if his Department has no record of this figure, what percentage of these children was deducted to allow for the number who had passed the age of 15 years when an estimate of 56 per cent. of the population under 15 years of age as having been immunised at the end of 1943 was made.
The figure requested by my hon. Friend is not available. But of the children immunised since 1940, when the campaign began, the proportion who have up to now passed the age of 15 is naturally small. In view of this, and also of the fact that the number of these children is estimated to be more than offset by the number immunised before 1940 and still under 15, no such deduction as my hon. Friend mentions is called for.
Bovine Tuberculosis
asked the Minister of Health what proof he possesses that the form of tuberculosis called bovine has ever been caused by drinking milk.
I am advised that human infection by the particular type of tubercle bacillus found in bovines can ordinarily be accounted for only by contact with this organism through eating meat or consuming milk or its derivatives. As the cooking of meat destroys the bacillus it must be concluded that tuberculosis of bovine origin is mainly attributable to milk. This is supported by the results of medical research showing incidence of bovine tuberculosis among persons drinking raw milk, but almost complete immunity from it among those drinking only pasteurised milk.
Post Office (Subscriber's Telephone Calls)
asked the Postmaster-General how many telephone calls were charged to Sloane 8909 on the night of 5th December, 1944, between 18.30 hours and 19.15 hours.
I regret that I am unable to make public information of this character.
Food Supplies
Bananas And Grape Fruit
asked the Minister of Food why, as he is importing grapefruit, which is less popular than bananas, consignments of the latter product cannot now be arranged.
I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Colonies on 1st November to the hon. and learned Member for Ilford (Mr. G. Hutchinson) and the transport difficulties that prevent the import of bananas do not apply to grapefruit from the Mediterranean.
Dried Eggs
asked the Minister of Food what sum has been allocated for the present campaign advertising dried eggs; and how much of this sum has been spent to date.
The sum that has been allocated for the present campaign advertising dried eggs, which started in mid-September, 1944, is £100,000, and it is estimated that up to 30th November £52,000 had been spent.
Fish (Prices)
asked the Minister of Food whether he can make any statement as to the intention of his Department to cut fish prices next summer; and what negotiations to that end are in progress.
As negotiations with producers and distributors on the prices of fish to be in operation next summer have not yet begun, I am not in a position to make any statement at the moment.
War Casualties (Disease)
asked the Prime Minister whether the total numbers of cases of disease and deaths from disease suffered by American troops are included in the figures of casualties published every month; and, if so, why similar figures cannot be issued showing casualties from disease amongst the British Services.
No, Sir. I understand it is not the practice of the United States Government to include the number of cases of disease or deaths from disease in the figures of casualties published each month.
Horticultural Industry (Government Policy)
asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will explain more fully the assurances as to prices and production which his recently announced policy provides for the horticultural industry.
I have nothing to add at present to the last words of the statement I made in the House of Commons on 5th December, which were that separate consideration will be given to the case of certain products which include fruit, vegetables and early potatoes.