HC Deb 29 April 1908 vol 187 cc1247-8
MR. BOTTOMLEY

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will grant a Return showing the relative mortality of persons engaged in the manufacture of ginger beer, lemonade, soda water, and other aërated drinks, as compared with those engaged in breweries and public-houses?

MR. JOHN BURNS

Perhaps I may be allowed to answer this Question. I am afraid I could not assent to the proposed Return. I have communicated with the Registrar-General with regard to it, and I find that his records do not show separately the mortality of persons engaged in the manufacture of aërated drinks. Consequently great labour and expense would be involved in getting the particulars necessary for arriving at this mortality. I may add that the number of persons engaged in the manufacture of aërated drinks is too small to afford a basis for trustworthy statistics. The total number of males between the ages of 25 and 65 who were so employed in England and Wales, according to the census of 1901, was only 5,587.

MR. BOTTOMLEY

Is it not a fact that the right hon. Gentleman has gone to the trouble and expense of giving the comparative mortality of people engaged in the brewery trade, and would it be more costly a proceeding to do the same in regard to people employed in the aërated water trade?

MR. JOHN BURNS

That is a perfectly natural and proper question to put, hut the whole of the information to which the hon. Member refers has been for some time in the hands of the Registrar-General. It costs no money to secure, and very little trouble to compile.

MR. BOTTOMLEY

Is it not possible to supplement the Annual Report of the Registrar-General with information on this question of mortality?

MR. JOHN BURNS

I shall be pleased to communicate with the Registrar-General on the subject.

MR. CROOKS (Woolwich)

asked whether a Return could be got out giving the number of lunatics in proportion to the two trades.

MR. GEORGE FABER (York)

Can the right hon. Gentleman give a Return of the number of women engaged in the manufacture of aërated waters?

MR, JOHN BURNS

I will look into the matter. I shall be very pleased to satisfy hon. Members' curiosity.