§ Mr. LANSBURYasked the Minister of Health the amount of public money spent by local authorities during the years ending March, 1913, and March, 1925, on child welfare clinics and other centres, and the amount spent on the supply of milk to nursing and expectant mothers during the same period, showing the amount raised from the rates and the amount paid from the National Exchequer
§ Sir K. WOODAs the answer is long, and contains a number of figures, I will, with the hon. Member's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Mr. MACQUISTENIs the hon. Gentleman aware that there is no more injurious diet to give to nursing mothers than milk? Will he have some investigation made?
§ Following is the answer
§ No figures are available as regards maternity and child welfare services in respect of the year ended March, 1913, the year ended 31st March, 1915, being the first year in respect of which Exchequer Grant was paid on these services. The total net expenditure of local authorities in England and Wales on all maternity and child welfare services in that year was (approximately) £66,700, and of voluntary agencies receiving ExchequerGrant(approximately)£16.200. No separate figures as to the expenditure of local authorities on maternity and child welfare centres and clinics, or on the supply of milk to nursing and expectant mothers and children are available prior to the year ended March,1920.For that year the net expenditure was as follows:
§ The net expenditure on centres and clinics provided by voluntary agencies receiving Exchequer Grant in that year was approximately £102,000.
§ Particulars of the actual expenditure on these services for the year ended March, 1925, are not yet available, but the net expenditure for the year ended March, 1924, was as follows:
756§ One-half of the expenditure referred to above was met by way of Exchequer Grant, and one-half of the net expenditure of local authorities was met out of the rates.