Captain BENNasked the Minister of Health whether he can state, for the year 1913–14, and for the last three financial years, the aggregate contributions made either from Parliamentary Votes or from the rates for the services of antenatal clinics, maternity homes, infant welfare centres, the feeding of necessitous children, the supply of milk to mothers and infants and to school children, special schools, and school medical service?
§ Mr. NEVILLE CHAMBERLAINNo figures are available as regards maternity and child welfare services in respect of 1913–14, the year ended 31st March, 1915, being the first year in respect of which Exchequer grant was paid on these services. The total grant paid in respect of that year was £41,466 of which £33,358 was paid to local authorities (an equal amount being contributed from the rates) and £8,108 to voluntary agencies. No details are available as to the allocation 1615W of those sums between the various services. The information desired as regards the last three financial years in respect of
Service. 1919–20 expenditure met by— 1920–21 expenditure met by— 1921–22 expenditure met by— Contributions from Parliamentary Votes. Contributions from Rates.* Contributions from Parliamentary Votes. Contributions from Rates.* Contributions from Parliamentary Votes. Contributions from Rates.* £ £ £ £ £ £ Medical supervision generally (including attendance at Centres, &c) 24,134 24,134 38,047 38,047 57,296 57,296 Ante-Natal Clinics and Infant Welfare Centres— (a) Local Authorities (excluding medical attendance). 66,189 66,189 81,084 81,084 77,404 77,404 (b) Voluntary Agencies.† 51,116 — 57,294 — 51,772 — Maternity Homes and Hospitals and Infant Hospitals— (a) Local Authorities. 69,026 69,026 101,174 101,174 104,680 104,680 (b) Voluntary Agencies.† 73,463 — 94,424 — 81,695 — Milk and Food for Expectant and Nursing Mothers and children under 5 years of age. 81,824 81,824 183,619 183,619 157,330 157,330 *Not including expenditure, of comparatively insignificant amount, in respect of which grant is not available. † Contributions of Local Authorities towards the work of Voluntary Agencies, of which half is met out of the rates and half by way of Exchequer Grant, are included in the amounts entered against the Local Authorities.
As regards school children, the following information has been obtained from the Board of Education:— The total net cost, met by Parliamentary Votes and the rates, of the School Medical Service and the Provision of Meals to school children is as follows (the figures for 1922–23 are estimates made by Local Education Authorities):— Year. School Medical Service. Provision of Meals. £ £ 1913–14 … … 325,735 … … 142,857 1919–20 … … 885,695 … … 153,866 1920–21 … … 1,330,182 … … 251,751 1921–22 … … 1,370,919 … … 943,353 1922–23 … … 1,279,562 … … 357,413 1616W
As regards Special Schools, only the gross cost of this Service can be given for the years 1913–14 and 1919–20. The amounts are as follows:— £ 1913–14 … … 491,469 1919–20 … … 1,045,084 The net cost, met from Parliamentary Votes and from the rates for the years 1920–21, 1921–22 and 1922–23 is:— £ 1920–21 … … 1,293,891 1921–22 … … 1,445,425 1922–23 … … 1,431,809 (estimates). which detailed information is available is set out in the following table. It is not possible to separate the figures further.
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§ Major Sir FREDERICK KELLEYthe Minister of Health whether he will authorise local authorities to issue ice as well as milk to poor mothers during hot summer weather, with instructions how to employ it in keeping children's milk and other food fresh?
§ Lord E. PERCYNo, Sir, my hon. Friend's suggestion does not appear to the Minister to be a practicable one.