§ 26. Miss LAWRENCEasked the Minister of Health the amount of grant given towards the treatment of venereal disease in the years 1921 and 1927, and the amount which local authorities have been informed is the maximum they will receive for the year 1927–28; whether he will give the number of treatment centres for venereal disease in England in 1921 and at the present time; and the number of health authorities where no such centres are provide?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINThe grants paid to local authorities for this purpose amounted to £421,687 and £272,921 during the financial years 1921–22 and 1927–28, respectively. The maximum grant payable to these authorities in respect of the financial year 1927–28 is £286,763. There are at the present time 177 treatment centres in England, compared with 184 in 1921, the reduction being due mainly to the policy adopted in some large towns of concentrating the work of two or more centres in one centre at which extended facilities for treatment have been provided. Facilities for the treatment of venereal disease have been provided by all the local authorities responsible for this work, but in a few cases the treatment centres are outside the administrative areas of the authorities.
§ Mr. T. WILLIAMSAre we to understand from the right hon. Gentleman that 1889 the actual expenditure has been reduced by 50 per cent.?