§ SIR FRANCIS CHANNING (Northamptonshire. E.)To ask the President of the Local Government Board in how many instances sanitary authorities have applied, since the circular of August, 1905, to have cerebro-spinal fever scheduled as a notifiable disease under the Act of 1889;and whether, having regard to the urgency of this matter, he will forthwith introduce a Bill to include this disease as compulsorily notifiable.
§ (Answered by Mr. John Burns.) There have been thirteen local authorities who, since the issue of the circular, have, with the approval of the Local Government Board, made cerebro-spinal fever a notifiable disease for a limited period. Under the Act of 1889 the local authority in the case of an emergency, can at any meeting, held after three days notice, make an order to the effect that the disease shall be compulsorily notifiable. The order is to be advertised forthwith, and comes into force at the expiration of a week from the date of the advertisement. The order would not remain in force for more than a month except with 292 the approval of the Local Government Board; but I am quite prepared to give approval in any case in which it may appear to be necessary that the disease should be made notifiable. My hon. friend will see that the proceedings under the Act involve as little loss of time as is possible, and it does not seem to me necessary to bring in a Bill on the subject.