HC Deb 01 February 1934 vol 285 cc525-6
35 Mr. ALAN TODD

asked the Minister of Health (1) the names of the farms complained of in the report of the Staffordshire County Council's Education Committee on the conditions obtaining in the hopfields in Herefordshire and Worcestershire;

(2) what steps he proposes to take to render conditions in the hopfields of Worcestershire and Herefordshire such that the Staffordshire Education Committee may make the school holiday period coincide with the hop-picking season so that children from South Staffordshire may, without injury to their health and morals, be allowed to take their holidays in the hopfields;

(3) whether his attention has been drawn to a report of the education committee of the Staffordshire County Council with reference to the living conditions of hop-pickers from South Staffordshire while working in the hop-fields in Worcestershire and Herefordshire; and what steps he proposes to take whereby conditions in these hop-fields may be made suitable for hop-pickers and their families?

Sir H. YOUNG

I have seen the report in question, and I am communicating with the Staffordshire County Council in regard to the names of the farms complained of which have not yet been disclosed. The responsibility for supervising the accommodation provided for hop-pickers rests with the local sanitary authorities, but my officers inspect the more important hop-growing areas from time to time, and any serious defect in the arrangements made for hop-pickers is brought to the attention of the local authority responsible for the matter.

Mr. TODD

Will the Minister press the Staffordshire County Council to divulge the names of these farms, in view of the particularly bad report which they have issued?

Sir H. YOUNG

Undoubtedly, a report having been made on the farms under the names of A, B and C, if any effective steps are to be taken, the names of the farms must be disclosed to me.

Sir JOSEPH LAMB

Will my right hon. Friend make it quite clear that these are not farms in Staffordshire, but are in surrounding counties where our people go?

Sir H. YOUNG

It is very desirable that the locality of the farms should be cleared up.