Mrs. Adamsonasked the Minister of Health whether he is now in a position to state the results of his review of the classification of Bexley, Crayford, Dart-ford, Erith, Greenhithe, Stone and Swans-combe as vulnerable areas with the object of their reclassification as evacuation 2644W zones and for the adequate protection of the population in these areas?
§ Mr. ElliotI have decided that an evacuation plan should be prepared for the whole of the borough of Erith, for the portion of the Grayford urban district which is within one and a half miles of the right bank of the Thames, for the portion of the borough of Dartford within a mile and a half of the Thames and an additional portion developed at a density exceeding 15 houses to the acre, and for the western portion of the borough of Bexley which projects as a salient into Woolwich. These decisions have been communicated to the councils concerned.
§ Sir F. Fremantleasked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the difficulties of providing for the care of expectant mothers in reception areas in the event of the Government's evacuation plans being put into operation, he is satisfied that an adequate number of experienced mid wives will be available?
§ Mr. ElliotI recognise the importance of this problem. No midwife engaged in the hospital or domiciliary practice of midwifery, whether she is a trained nurse or not, should be diverted to casualty or other non-midwifery work until the full requirements of the midwifery service in an emergency have been met. Local authorities in areas to be evacuated should make arrangements to send with expectant mothers, for work in the reception areas, a full quota of practising wid-wives with recent midwifery experience, and should arrange that where necessary such midwives should be obtained from all institutions and organisations in the area which, owing to the discontinuance or curtailment of their maternity work, will have midwives to spare. Similar considerations apply to midwives normally employed in the reception areas, where midwives should not be diverted to other services until the requirements of the midwifery service have been supplied.
§ Sir I. Alberyasked the Minister of Health whether it is now possible to indicate to evacuation areas on Thames-side in Kent the approximate districts allotted for reception?
§ Mr. ElliotI regret that I am not yet in a position to indicate the precise areas to be used for the reception of these towns.