HC Deb 25 June 1925 vol 185 cc1702-3
32. Colonel DAY

asked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the fact that the most important need in connection with maternity cases is for institutional treatment, especially for those with unsuitable home surroundings, and in many cases the need of specialist services, he will take such steps as will encourage local authorities to make additional provision for the care and welfare of mothers both during and after childbirth?

The MINISTER of HEALTH (Mr. Neville Chamberlain)

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the reply which I gave on this subject to the hon. Member for Stratford on the 20th May. I will send him a copy of the circular to which I drew attention in that reply.

Colonel DAY

rose.—

Mr. SPEAKER

The hon. and gallant Member really takes an undue amount of time. The hon. and gallant Member never asks a question without putting a supplementary.

Colonel DAY

But I had the same answer from the Minister yesterday.

Mr. SPEAKER

I would ask the hon. and gallant Member to consider his fellow-Members.

34. Mr. GROVES

asked the Minister of Health whether he has considered the Report of the chief medical adviser for his Department for 1924, in which it is stated that excessive rates of maternal mortality are found in the aggregate in most rural areas, such as Breconshire, Westmorland, Montgomeryshire, Radnorshire, and in highly industrial areas engaged in textile manufacture and coal mining, and especially in such county boroughs as Halifax, Blackpool, Rochdale, Huddersfield, Swansea, Bradford, Bury, Oldham, Dewsbury and Blackburn; and whether he proposes any special measures to afford the people of these areas additional medical or institutional treatment in order to remedy this state of affairs.

Mr. CHAMBERLAIN

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the second part, the authorities of most of the areas mentioned are already taking steps, as a result of the issue of the circular to which I referred in my reply to the hon. Member's question of the 20th May, to provide additional facilities for the ante-natal examination and institutional treatment of pregnant women, and the medical officers of my Department pay special

The following figures show the position on the 29th May—the latest date for which the information is available:—

1. Total number of new Pensions granted in consequence of the Old Age Pensions Act, 1924 53,896
2. Summary of the various increases in existing Pensions—

Previous Rate of Pension. Number of Pensions increased.
To 2s. rate. To 4s. rate. To 6s. rate. To 8s. rate. To 10s. rate. Total.
s. d.
1 0 107 71 33 26 1,309 1,546
2 0 — 382 178 123 5,081 5,764
3 0 — — — — 3 3
4 0 — — 468 273 10,879 11,620
5 0 — — 3 2 12 17
6 0 — — — 519 14,923 15,442
8 0 — — — — 23,360 23,360
Totals 107 453 682 943 55,567 57,752

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