§ Sir W. JENKINSasked the Minister of Health the number of blind persons in each county area for England and Wales; the cost per thousand of the population; and whether any special grant is made to any county which is recognised as a necessitous area?
Sir H. YOUNGI will send the hon. Member a statement showing the number of blind persons registered in each county area in England and Wales on 31st March, 1934, according to particulars supplied by the Counties Associations for the Blind. No complete information is available as to the cost per thousand of the population of the various services rendered for the blind. As regards the last part of the question, there is now no special grant from the Exchequer for this service. The grant formerly paid was merged in the General Exchequer Grant payable to local authorities under the Local Government Act, 1929, which is in part calculated on a formula designed to afford the greatest measure of relief to the poorest areas.