§ 19. Mr. SNOWDENasked the President of the Local Government Board if he is aware that the latest Return of the Registrar of Births shows that the birth-rate in London is now from 400 to 500 per week below the average of the last five years, that children have been dying in London during the last thirteen weeks at the rate of 200 per week above the rate for the corresponding weeks of last year, that the increased mortality among children is general throughout the country, that this increase is attributed to causes connected with the War, that the problem is now so serious that if the present rate be continued for forty-two weeks all the infants will have succumbed; in view of the state of things will he at once meet the defects in the present law by a small Bill to amend 530 the Notification of Births Act, empowering local authorities to make such arrangements as may be sanctioned by the Local Government Board for securing the health of mothers and infants; and will he at the same time respond to the many appeals which have been made to his Department to make the Notification of Births Act universal, especially in view of the fact that one child in ten born dies within forty-eight hours of birth?
§ 20. Sir GEORGE TOULMINasked whether the President of the Local Government Board is prepared to introduce legislation for the amendment and strengthening of the Notification of Births Act?
§ The PRESIDENT of the LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. Long)The births registered in London during the second quarter of this year averaged seventy-nine per week fewer than the corresponding weekly number in the past five years, and during the thirteen weeks ending June 5th there has been a weekly excess in the deaths of children under five years of age averaging 169. This excess has been mainly due to an exceptional prevalence of measles and whooping-cough, with their usual sequelæ. The suggestion in the question that, if the present rates be continued for forty-two weeks, all the infants will have succumbed is, I am happy to say, devoid of foundation, as is also the statement that one child in ten born dies within forty-eight hours of birth. As regards the legislation suggested in the two questions, I would refer to the answer I gave yesterday, in which I stated that I was anxious to introduce without delay a measure making the Notification of Births Act of general application, and conferring certain powers on local authorities for safe-guading the health of infants and expectant mothers.
§ Sir G. TOULMINCan the right hon. Gentleman say, approximately, when the Bill will be introduced?