§ Mr. T. A. LEWISasked the President of the Board of Education what was the total number of children in attendance at the elementary schools of England and Wales in 1921 and 1922, respectively; and what was the total number of trained teachers serving in these schools during each of the two years?
Mr. WOODThe following is the information asked for:
on part payment, and 152 were refused— mainly on the ground that the family income was adequate to provide additional supplies. As regards the second part of the question, 70 of the infants were certified as suffering from malnutrition and 5,202 from debility, under-weight and kindred ailments. It is not possible to say how far, if at all, these conditions were the result of poverty, and how far due to congenital causes or to improper feeding. As regards the third part of the question, the Government have not withdrawn the grant for feeding of mothers and children under schemes of maternity service and child welfare, but have limited it. The amount of the reduced grant is sufficient for the normal requirements of the scheme the primary purpose of which is the prevention and treatment of illness and the instruction of mothers, and not the relief of distress. I am unable to hold out any hope that it will be possible to increase the amount available under this head for the current year.