HC Deb 23 October 1941 vol 374 cc1920-1W
Major Peto

asked the Minister of Health whether he has received any report from the representative of his Department who attended the special meeting on 2nd October of the Birmingham Day Nursery Campaign Committee; if so, whether he has decided thereon that any special form of such nursery is appropriate to the city; and what stimulus he proposes to give to bring it into immediate existence, especially by modification of the recommended standard which is thought to be too rigid?

Mr. E. Brown

I am informed that at the meeting referred to a suggestion was made that the standard of accommodation for war-time nurseries might be lowered. The suggestion, as I understand it, was not that any special type of war-time nursery should be adopted for Birmingham, but that the standards required for the accommodation of young children should be relaxed in view of the urgency of 1he need for nurseries. I should not be ready to approve proposals which would be prejudicial to the health of the children whose mothers are at work, but if the Committee have any specific suggestions to make I should be glad to have them examined.