§ 35. Mr. Sorensenasked the Minister of Health whether he will arrange that unemployed parents of evacuated children shall receive periodical free travelling warrants to visit their children without the conditions that the children shall be ill before such warrants are granted; whether he will also arrange that free travelling warrants issued to soldiers who are parents of evacuated children shall also be available to the district where the evacuated children are living; and whether any steps can be taken to mitigate the burden on parents of evacuated children due to increased postage and other factors, by arranging for the bulk despatch of letters and parcels to suitable common distributing centres at schools or by other means?
§ The Minister of Health (Mr. Malcolm MacDonald)Special assistance may be granted from time to time to parents who are eligible for payments from the Assistance Board and who could not otherwise afford to visit their evacuated children, and public assistance authorities have been empowered to grant similar help to parents in receipt of relief. As regards the second part of the Question, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. and gallant Friend, the then Secretary of State for War, to my hon. Friend the Member for West Lewisham (Mr. H. Brooke) on 6th February, 1940. As regards the last part of the Question, I understand that the dispatch and delivery of letters in the manner suggested would contravene the Post Office Act, 1908.
§ Mr. SorensenDoes not the right hon. Gentleman appreciate that large numbers of unemployed people cannot visit their children, and can he not recommend that warrants should be granted to such parents, even when their children are not ill?
§ Mr. MacDonaldIf the hon. Member will study the first part of my answer, he will realise that such help can be given.
§ Mr. SorensenDoes the right hon. Gentleman realise that it is not being given?