§ 41. Mr. Keelingasked the Minister of Health if he will state the facts and figures 586 on which he based his circular to local authorities expressing his opinion that conferences attended by members and officers of local authorities are too numerous and make too great a demand on the time of those attending them.
§ Mr. BevanI have no complete statistics of the conferences attended by members and officers of local authorities as many of them do not require any consent on my part, but it is common knowledge that many such conferences are held, and in 1947 applications were made to me to sanction the expenditure involved in sending delegates to 91 different conferences. The replies received to my circular show that many local authorities share the opinion I expressed in it.