Marquess of Titchfieldasked the Minister of Health whether he can estimate the amount spent by the State on health services for children during 1936; and whether he can give the figures for the same service 50 years ago?
§ Sir K. WoodDuring the financial year 1935–36, the latest year for which figures are available, the grants paid by the Board of Education to local education authorities and voluntary institutions in respect of health services for school children amounted to £2,706,342. In addition, the Exchequer grant towards the cost of the scheme for supplying milk at half-price to school children amounted to £397,184 for the year ended the 3oth September, 1936. Corresponding figures are not available in respect of health services for young children who are not yet in attendance at school. The percentage grants in aid of health services,552W which were instituted in the early part of the present century, were discontinued by the Local Government Act, 1929, and merged in the Block Grant payable under that Act. This grant which amounted to £45,339,193 in 1935–36 is applicable to local government expenses generally but cannot be apportioned to individual services. There was no separate grant for health services for children 50 years ago, whether in respect of school children or pre-school children.