§ 48. Mr. BARNESasked the Minister of Health whether there is any dietary scale fixed for the children in Poor Law homes in England and Wales; whether he can explain why the cost of feeding varies in some instances by over 300 per cent., as disclosed in the costing returns for the year ended 31st March, 1935; and whether he will place these costing returns and dietary scales, if any, in the Library?
§ Sir K. WOODThe Public Assistance Order, 1930, requires local authorities to prescribe dietaries for the children in homes maintained by them. These dietaries do not need my sanction, but specimen dietaries for children's homes are included in a report by the Advisory Committee on Nutrition which was circulated to local authorities in 1932. 1953 Differences in the cost of feeding can be accounted for to some extent by such factors as the size of the home, and the proportion of occupied to unoccupied beds. Special inquiries are being made into cases in which there are wide divergencies from the average cost. I am arranging for copies of the advisory committee's report and of the costing returns to be placed in the Library.
§ Mr. BARNESWhile thanking the Minister, may I ask whether he will publish later the result of the investigation?
§ Sir K. WOODIf necessary, but I was referring to inquiries which are made from time to time by my officers.
§ 50. Mr. LOVAT-FRASERasked the Minister of Health whether he has inquired into the alleged excessive hours of work in the central children's homes, New Malden, Surrey, to which his attention has been called recently; and, if so, what he proposes to do?
§ Sir K. WOODI have had inquiries made in this matter. Additions were made last month to the domestic staff of the homes which should reduce substantially the amount of household work required of the children. I am arranging for a further inspection to be made at an early date.
§ 51. Mr. LOVAT-FRASERasked the Minister of Health whether he has inquired into the alleged cruelty to children in the children's home at Leominster, to which his attention has been called recently; and, if so, what he proposes to do?
§ Sir K. WOODI have been in touch with the Herefordshire County Council through the general inspector for the district and I do not think that any action on my part is necessary in supplementation of the action already taken by the council, who have accepted the resignation of the matron of the home on grounds of ill-health and are arranging for the transfer of the children to a voluntary home, certified by me under the Poor Law Act.
§ Mr. LAWSONAs this is apparently a good Conservative council, will the right hon. Gentleman make the same inquiries into its activities as he does into the activities of Labour councils?
§ Sir K. WOODI do not think the hon. Member is aware of the circumstances or he would not put that question.