§ 35. Mr. Pitmanasked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the anxieties of expectant mothers and others in Bath, he will institute an inquiry into the properties of the mineral waters there; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Vaughan-MorganThe maternal and infant mortality rates and the number of premature babies born in Bath have all been lower than the national average in most recent years; the stillbirth rate has recently been higher, but in the period since 1936 has been more often below than above the national average. My right hon. Friend therefore sees no cause for local anxiety. The content of the mineral waters is known and seems to have no relation to the matter.
§ Mr. PitmanWhile welcoming that decision of the Minister on the ground that it shows what a healthy place Bath is for the prospect of parenthood, may I ask my hon. Friend in particular—as my grandfather, my father and myself have spent hundreds of hours swimming in these waters and drinking them—whether young people of the future may enjoy the prospects of parenthood to the full?
§ Mr. Vaughan-MorganThere is no evidence that spa water would be harmful in pregnancy.