§ 20. Mr. Gordon Macdonaldasked the President of the Board of Education what steps he is taking to safeguard the health of schoolchildren whose mothers are employed on war work?
§ The President of the Board of Education (Mr. Butler)I have asked local education authorities to give particular attention to the need of providing meals for schoolchildren whose mothers are employed on war work. I am sending out a further Circular, in conjunction with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Health, urging authorities to take all possible steps to care for the children of mothers who are so employed, or wish to take up such employment.
§ Mr. MacdonaldWill the right hon. Gentleman keep in mind that in many instances, especially in the Northern part of the country, scores of children are going to school without having had an adequate breakfast or having had adequate attention from their parents, and does he realise that this hampers the efforts of women in war production work?
§ Mr. ButlerYes, I realise that this is one of the aspects of the problem which has to be borne in mind
§ Mr. Kenneth LindsayWill my right hon. Friend also look into the question of 869 children in out-of-school hours, because the lot of children in the black-out does create a problem?
§ Sir Joseph LambWill the right hon. Gentleman give attention to those children whose mothers live in scattered areas and who go to war work and find it difficult to get accommodation?