§ Mr. Sorensenasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, in view of the report of the Registrar of Births and 386W Deaths of the Gold Coast that pulmonary diseases accounted for 165 out of every 1,000 deaths in that territory, and that a quarter of the total deaths registered occur between the ages of 24 and 25, he will ask for a report on the causes of this position?
Mr. M. MacDonaldThe figure mentioned by the hon. Member in the first part of the question refers only to non-tubercular diseases of the respiratory system. With regard to the second part, the age-group appears to be 25–45, not 24–25. This age-group includes practically all immigrant labourers, many of whom are said to have little resistance to pulmonary infections. The serious nature of the pulmonary disease problem is recognised, and is discussed in the Report of the Medical Department for 1937, a copy of which is being placed in the Library of the House.
§ Mr. Burkeasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is now prepared to implement the findings set forth in the Report of the Commission to the Gold Coast with a view to improving the position of cotton exports to that area?
Mr. M. MacDonaldI would refer the hon. Member to the answers which I gave to the hon. Member for Romford (Mr. Parker) and to the hon. Member for Greenock (Mr. R. Gibson) on 1st February, to which I have nothing to add at present.