§ Mr. Messerasked the Minister of Health whether he has considered the report made to him of the statement by the billeting officer of St. Ives (Hunts) Rural District Council that he would refuse to attempt to billet women and children in his district and that if compulsory powers were used, half the people would prefer to go to gaol; and what action he proposes to take?
§ Mr. ElliotThe opportunities for further evacuation which have been afforded since September have been limited to unaccompanied school children, and no action would, therefore, appear to be necessary.
§ Mr. Parkerasked the Minister of Health how many children under five years of age, originally evacuated with their mothers, are now remaining in the reception areas unaccompanied?
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§ Mr. ElliotI do not have the information asked for, and I am afraid that to obtain it would cause a disproportionate amount of labour for the local authorities. I understand that the number would in any case be very small.
§ Mr. Parkerasked the Minister of Health how many children were evacuated from each of the 29 county borough evacuation authorities on the outbreak of war; and how many have since returned to their homes?
§ Mr. ElliotAs near as can be estimated, the numbers of unaccompanied schoolchildren originally evacuated from each of the 29 evacuating county boroughs and the numbers who have since returned are as follow:
Evacuation Area. Number of unaccompanied children. Evacuated. Returned to evacuation area. Birkenhead 9,350 4,600 Birmingham 25,241 11,000 Bootle 7,123 3,500 Bradford 7,484 3,400 Coventry 3,082 1,700 Croydon 12,241 3,500 Derby 3,438 2,400 Gateshead 10,598 7,000 Grimsby 1,246 450 Hull 16,389 5,200 Leeds 18,935 8,500 Liverpool 60,795 23,000 Manchester 66,300 41,000 Middlesbrough 5,171 2,800 Newcastle 28,300 14,000 Nottingham 4,763 2,300 Portsmouth 11,970 6,000 Rotherham 332 180 Salford 18,043 9,500 Sheffield 5,338 3,500 Smetwick 2,219 1,000 Southampton 11,175 4,200 South Shields 3,826 2,000 Sunderland 8,289 2,900 Tynemouth 1,481 800 Wallasey 2,622 1,700 Walsall 360 250 West Bromwich 1,786 900 West Hartlepool 2,881 1,900