HC Deb 04 May 1964 vol 694 cc881-2
4. Miss Quennell

asked the Minister of Health how many cases of venereal disease were reported among school children in the last school year; and how many have been reported in the current school year.

Mr. Braine

In England and Wales, in addition to 37 cases of congenital syphilis in persons under age 15, 1,319 cases of gonorrhoea and 39 cases of syphilis were reported in persons under age 18 in 1963, including 233 and 2, respectively, under age 16. I have no information on how many of these were still at school. Comparable national figures for earlier years are not available.

Miss Quennell

Is my hon. Friend aware that everybody interested in the welfare of young people can only be dismayed and concerned at the figures he has just given? To allay our concern, will he indicate what special measures are taken in such cases and what special liaison his Department has with my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science to deal with these particularly difficult matters?

Mr. Braine

I entirely agree with what my hon. Friend said in the first part of her question, and I hope that her Question and my Answer will alert parents, teachers and young children to the appalling dangers. We should be very careful not to assume that the primary responsibility rests with the authorities. It does not. It rests with the parents. In so far as my Department has taken any action, perhaps the House would like to know that we issued a letter to local authorities only last week giving details of films, posters and leaflets available for use in education.

Mr. Rankin

Have we not for years been alerting parents to the dangers of venereal disease? Parents can see the warnings which are put up in every public lavatory throughout the country. Since the disease is still as dangerous, as the hon. Lady has pointed out, what steps other than those the hon. Gentleman has enunciated does he think ought to be taken?

Mr. Braine

My right hon. Friend will consider any practical step possible. If the hon. Gentleman has any suggestions to make in addition to what we are doing already, we shall be most grateful to have them.