HC Deb 18 February 1937 vol 320 cc1353-4
44. Mr. Burke

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he will take into consideration the work of the Lancashire keep-fit movement for women and girls, with a view to that organisation's representation on the National Advisory Council, as proposed in Cmd. 5364, and/or any of the committees set up to develop and co-ordinate the work of the National Advisory Council?

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education (Mr. Shakespeare)

In constituting the National Advisory Council the Government have endeavoured to include on it persons possessing experience of the wide variety of problems which the Council will be called upon to consider, but considerations of numbers made it impossible to include representatives of local movements such as that referred to by the hon. Member. I have no doubt, however, that account will be taken of local achievements, when the constitution of local committees is under consideration.

Mr. Burke

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that this organisation has been in

a

Area. Net expenditure on Provisions of Meals (including milk*).
1930–31. 1931–32. 1932–33. 1933–34. 1934–35. 1935–36.
£ £ £ £ £ £
Glamorgan—
Area under County Council. 5,406 4,913 7,514 11,042 13,933 12,105
All other areas excluding Merthyr Tydfil and Rhondda. 13,117 13,306 15,437 20,903 22,994 26,500
Merthyr Tydfil County Borough 4,216 4,398 3,558 3,101 3,558 3,703
Rhondda Urban District 5,625 6,763 10,550 9,755 6,511 9,222
Monmouthshire—
Area under County Council 7,701 7,354 9,476 9,922 12,028 12,502
All other areas 12,579 11,659 13,826 12,734 13,067 13,220
Totals 48,644 48,393 60,361 67,457 72,091 77,252
* Excluding milk provided on payment under voluntary arrangements in connection with the Milk in Schools Scheme.

existence for many years and has been doing a lot of work among mill girls and people of that kind who might be missed by the Government's scheme, which, I feel, will attract clerical workers more than these other workers?

Mr. Shakespeare

It will be one of the first duties of the National Committee to get into touch with those who have been doing this work in the localities, and I think, the hon. Member may rest assured that this organisation will be taken into account.

Sir John Haslam

Does the hon. Gentleman realise that this work has been going on for a number of years and that vast experience has been accumulated? What Lancashire thought of three or four years ago the rest of England is thinking of today.