31. Mr. PRICEasked the Minister of Health what action he proposes to take with regard to the appointment by the Lutterworth (Rural District Council of an unqualified person to the position of sanitary inspector in contravention of Article 16 of the Sanitary Officers Order, 1926, and the terms of the advertisement; whether he is aware that two fully-qualified sanitary inspectors, out of the 80 or more applicants who applied for the position, were interviewed by the council; and that, in the absence of his approval to the appointment, the local authority have accepted an offer by the person appointed to share part of the loss incurred in foregoing their claim to the repayment of half of the officer's salary out of the Exchequer Contribution Account?
§ Mr. SHAKESPEAREMy right hon. Friend has declined to approve this appointment, but as the local authority are willing to forgo their claim to repayment of half the salary out of the county fund, he has no power to prohibit it. He proposes to arrange in due course for an inquiry into the sanitary administration of this district. My right hon. Friend has received no information from the local authority in regard to the last two parts of the question, but he understands that the facts are as stated.