HC Deb 29 January 1942 vol 377 c944W
Sir P. Hurd

asked the Minister of Health how many rural district councils now have, either as individual councils or jointly with other councils, whole-time medical and sanitary officers?

Mr. E. Brown

The numbers of rural district councils in England and Wales who, either as individual councils or jointly with other councils, have whole time medical officers of health and sanitary inspectors respectively are 259 and 464.

Sir P. Hurd

asked the Minister of Health how many sewerage schemes were in operation by rural district councils at the outbreak of war; and how many more were known to be in preparation?

Mr. Brown

It is estimated that before the war water carriage sewerage and sewage disposal arrangements provided by the local authority were in operation in about 6,000 rural parishes covering about 75 per cent. of the rural population. I regret that the information asked for in the second part of the Question is not readily available.