72. Mr. J. J. Davidsonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether educational facilities now exist for the teaching of children evacuated to Inverary; and, if so, what are the educational arrangements?
§ The Under-Secretary of State for Scotland (Captain McEwen)The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. With regard to the second part, my right hon. Friend has not in his possession precise details of the arrangements made in Inverary, but he understands that the children transferred to this district under the evacuation scheme began to attend school on Monday, 25th September.
73. Mr. Davidsonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland the number of mothers and children who have returned to Glasgow from the evacuation centres?
§ Captain McEwenOn information supplied by the Ministry of Labour, it is estimated that nearly one-third of the mothers have returned to Glasgow. My right hon. Friend regrets that he is not yet in a position to state the number of children who have returned, and the reports which have been received indicate that the tendency to return has been stronger in the case of mothers than inthe case of children.
Mr. DavidsonIs the Minister aware that many of those mothers have taken their children—some of them two or three children—back again into the danger zone because of certain conditions prevailing in the areas into which they were evacuated, and can he assure us that every step is being taken to clear up and better those conditions so that those people can be returned?
§ Captain McEwenThere are many reasons which have governed the mothers in returning to the danger zone, and it is a fact, which is greatly regretted by the Government, that so many should have done so.
Mr. DavidsonIs the hon. and gallant Gentleman aware that in the Aberdeen-shire district the farmers treated them as if they were cattle?