63. Mr. W. Joseph Stewartasked the Minister of Health whether he is now in a position to state which additional areas in Durham are to be evacuated in the event of war; and what parts of this country are to be listed as receiving areas?
§ The Minister of Health (Mr. Elliot)In accordance with the review mentioned in my answer to the hon. Member for Everton (Mr. Kirby) on 18th May, plans are now being made for evacuation to take place in the event of war from portions of the following additional areas in Durham: the county boroughs of South Shields, Sunderland and West Hartlepool, the boroughs of Hartlepool and Jarrow, the urban districts of Hebburn, Felling and Whickham. As regards the second part of the question, the receiving areas in the county of Durham have not been altered. They comprise the urban districts of Barnard Castle, Bishop Auckland, Brandon and Byshottles, Crook and Willington, Shildon, Spennymoor and Tow Law, and the rural districts of Barnard Castle, Chester-le-Street, Darlington, Durham, Easington, Lanchester, Sedge-field, Stockton, Sunderland and Weardale.
Mr. StewartIn formulating these plans for evacuation is the Minister working in conjunction with the local authorities in the areas affected?
§ Mr. ElliotOh, yes, I am working closely with them.
§ Mr. ShinwellDoes the Minister regard the Easington area as a suitable reception area, seeing that it was bombarded during the last War and is on the sea coast?
§ Mr. ElliotAs has been frequently explained the object is to disseminate people from congested areas into more scattered areas. They will certainly be safer in the more scattered areas than in the more congested areas.
§ 77. Mr. Dayasked the Minister of Health whether he has now reviewed the 1484 possibility of extending the scheme for the evacuation of children under five years of age; to what further areas he now proposes to extend it; and will he give particulars of what records are kept at present of mothers who have registered their children?
§ Mr. ElliotChildren under five are one of the priority classes included in all official evacuation schemes. The general scheme of evacuation is being extended to parts of the areas mentioned by name in the reply that I gave on 18th May to the hon. Member for Everton (Mr. Kirby) and to certain of those areas referred to but not named in that reply. I am not yet in a position to give complete details. As regards the last part of the question the registers of those who wish to be included in the plans are compiled and kept by the evacuating local authorities, and I am asking each evacuating authority to let me have a report showing the number of each priority group registered for evacuation.