§ Mr. Reidasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he makes of the prevalence of head louse infestation among Scots schoolchildren; and whether he will ask the Scottish Council for Health Education to report on the matter.
§ Mr. William RossMedical inspections of school entrants and leavers during
214WEngland and Wales relating to persons who received treatment for injuries caused by fireworks during the period 12th October to 8th November 1975 have just become available. They show a welcome reduction in injuries by nearly 18 per cent. from the previous year to the lowest level since records were first kept in 1962; serious injuries were down by 29 per cent. I will, with permission circulate them in the Official Report, with the figures for comparable periods in the four preceding years.
ing the school year 1973–74 showed the following rates of infestation:
Entrants Leavers Boys 0.5 per cent. 1.8 per cent. Girls 0.9 per cent. 2.2 per cent. There has been a general decline in these rates in the last four years, except in the case of boys leaving school. National Health Service staff are well aware of the problem, and the Scottish Health Education Unit is preparing some publicity material on head lice.