§ 42. Mr. Jegerasked the Minister of Health whether he is aware of the decline in taking up welfare foods; and whether, in view of this, he will take steps to reduce the price in order to enable them to be purchased by families in need.
§ Mr. BraineAll welfare foods are available free to families in need.
§ Mr. JegerYes, but is the hon. Gentleman aware that since the price of these welfare foods was increased in June last year there has been a spectacular decrease in the amount of them being taken up? Is he aware, for example, that at Thorne in my own constituency, taking cod liver oil, for example, the decline in take-up for medicament is down by 80 per cent? Is he not aware that many of the children are being deprived of these vitamin foods and that the effect of this can only be known later in life?
§ Mr. BraineYes, but the Question referred to families in need, and the position there is that families who receive National Assistance or who, by Assistance standards, would be caused hardship by having to pay for welfare foods can obtain tokens from the National Assistance Board to enable them to get free supplies. Of course, in some of these cases the uptake of welfare foods has been increasing in the last twelve months. Far more important is, of course, the question of vitamins, and there is no evidence that, on that score, there is any deficiency.