§ Sir C. OMANasked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that Market Drayton has the highest rate of infant mortality of all the urban districts of Shropshire, including Shrewsbury, the figures being, total urban districts, 52 deaths per 1,000 births, and Market Drayton, 111 deaths per 1,000 births; and 613W that this excess of infant mortality has been consistently high since the formation of the urban district; and whether he will cause some medical member of his staff to make inquiry whether the guardians of this urban district make sufficient provision for necessitous mothers, expectant mothers, and newborn children in the matter of medical aid, provision of milk, and other food?
§ Mr. WHEATLEYI am aware that the infant mortality rate in Market Drayton has generally been in excess of the average for the whole of the urban districts in Shropshire, but I would point out that this was not the case in two of the nine nine which have elapsed since the formation of the urban district, and that the rate for 1923 was 85 per 1,000 births, as compared with 111 in 1922. As regards the last part of the question, the county council is the authority responsible for maternity a ad child welfare work in this urban district and I will arrange for an early inspection by one of the medical officers of the department, when enquiry will be made in regard to the matters mentioned in the question.