§ Sir A. WILSONasked the Minister of Health, whether, in view of the small reduction in fresh cases of venereal disease in the past 10 years, he proposes to give effect to the recommendation of the Trevethin Committee in 1923 that the law should be altered so as to permit properly-qualified chemists to sell ad hoc disinfectants in a form approved and with instructions for use approved by some competent authority?
§ Sir K. WOODI am advised that all the available evidence tends to show that the reduction in the incidence of venereal disease in recent years has been considerable. The returns from the Treatment Centres for the year 1935 show a reduction of 34 per cent. in cases of recent infection with syphilis, as compared with the year 1931. The recommendation referred to by my hon. Friend was carefully considered after the Trevethin Committee had reported, but the conclusion reached was that it would not be practicable to frame any satisfactory legislation to give effect to that recommendation. I see no reason to dissent from that conclusion.