§ MR. WEIRI beg to ask the Lord Advocate whether the Secretary for Scotland is aware that the medical officer of health for Ross and Cromarty in his report for last year states that, in a town- ship in the Island of Lewis, there were forty-one cases of typhoid fever in a population of 300 within a period of six months, and points out that, although an isolation hospital is urgently necessary, the local authorities are powerless to provide one owing to the rates for the various parishes throughout the island being ill ready so high; and, in view of the insanitary condition of many of the parishes in the island, will he consider the expediency of either urging the Treasury to provide the requisite funds for the erection of an isolation hospital, or introduce legislation at an early date such as will admit of the Congested Districts Board applying a portion of the funds at its disposal for the erection and maintenance of isolation hospitals where urgently needed in the congested area.
§ MR. WEIRI beg also to ask the Lord Advocate, as representing the Secretary for Scotland, whether he is aware that the last report of the medical officer of health for Ross and Cromarty shows that if the Sanitary Clauses in the Public Health (Scotland) Act were strictly enforced in the Island of Lewis a large number of the inhabitants would be homeless; and will he state what steps he proposes to take in order to place the island on a satisfactory sanitary basis.
§ * THE LORD ADVOCATE (Mr. A. GRAHAM MURRAY, Buteshire)In reply to Questions 23 and 24 as to the sanitary condition of the Island of Lewis, I must point out that the enforcement of the new 78 provisions of the recent Public Health Act can be undertaken only gradually and with caution, both for the reason adduced by the hon. Member himself and because of the reluctance which he must know exists in the Highlands to removal and to isolated treatment of infectious cases. The Local Government Board are not inactive, and I know from official and other channels that progress is being made and that in some districts the present conditions compare very favourably with those observed not many years ago. I am informed by the Local Government Board that they are at the present moment in communication with more than one local authority in the island districts regarding new hospital accommodation, and plans are in hand for an hospital in the Carloway district. The Secretary for Scotland is not prepared at present to undertake legislation in connection with the matter.