HC Deb 22 February 1940 vol 357 cc1532-4
75. Mr. McEntee

asked the Minister of Health whether his Department have inspected all the camps built by the National Camps Corporation, Limited; and is he satisfied that the accommodation provided for school children and for teachers and resident staff is satisfactory from a health point of view, and that the amenities are reasonably adequate?

Mr. Elliot

Yes, Sir. Numerous inspections of these camps have been made by officers of my Department and of the Board of Education. In addition, before a camp is occupied by a school, ample opportunity is afforded to the responsible education authority to carry out its own inspection, and to arrange for minor alterations and adaptations to meet the requirements of the school from the point of view of education, health and amenity. The camps are of a standard design which I have approved, and I am satisfied that the accommodation provided is satisfactory as regards health and amenity for the children, their teachers, and the resident staff.

Mr. McEntee

Is it not a fact that the standard of amenity and public health in these camps is very far below that in any other residential school?

Mr. Elliot

No, Sir, I could not possibly agree to that.

Mr. McEntee

It is.

76. Mr. McEntee

asked the Minister of Health how many camps have been built by the National Camps Corporation, Limited; how many of them are now occupied by school children and from what local authority's area do these children come; what further local authorities have entered into agreements for their school children to occupy these camps; and is it proposed to continue building similar camps?

Mr. Elliot

Thirty-one camps are being built by the National Camps Corporation, Limited, of which 20 are completed and the remainder in an advanced stage of construction. Two camps are occupied by school children from the areas of the London County Council and the borough of Ilford. Agreements for the occupation of further camps have been entered into by these two authorities, and the Cheshire County Council, the county borough councils of East Ham, West Ham, Kingston-upon-Hull, Liverpool, Manchester, Salford, Southampton, and Newcastle-on-Tyne, and the borough councils of Leyton and Rochester have either entered into agreements or have them under active consideration. The question of further building and, if so, on what lines, will be reviewed as soon as some experience has been gained of the working of the present scheme.

Mr. McEntee

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that some of the authorities who have taken camps are compelled to spend much money on amenities?

Mr. Elliot

No, Sir. If authorities do not want to take camps there is no compulsion whatever on them to do so.

Mr. Mander

How many children are going to these camps?

Mr. Elliot

I could not say without notice.

80. Mr. David Adams

asked the Minister of Health whether immediate steps are being taken to provide a substantial increase in the provision of further permanent camps for the use of school children evacuated during the war, and what number of such camps are in contemplation?

86. Dr. Edith Summerskill

asked the Minister of Health how many more camps does he contemplate building for the evacuation of school children; and how does he propose to allocate them?

Mr. Elliot

Under the present scheme, 31 camps are being built in England and Wales, the majority of which will, under existing conditions, be placed at the disposal of local education authorities for the accommodation of evacuated schoolchildren. The question of further building and, if so, on what lines, will be reviewed as soon as some experience has been gained of the working of the present scheme.

Mr. Adams

Does not the Minister agree that there is an urgent need of building for community as against home or cottage evacuation?

Mr. Elliot

The hon. Member is speaking of buildings for further education. We must review the possibilities when we have experience of how the scheme works.

Mr. Adams

I think there is a possibility.