§ Major Profumoasked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that, contrary to information given by his Department last February to the effect that evacuees who returned home would not be re-evacuated at the Government's expense, out of 282 unaccompanied schoolchildren evacuated at Kettering on 18th June, 98 had been evacuated for the second time, 72 for the third time, 15 for the fourth time, two for the fifth time and one for the sixth time; and whether he will take steps to prevent this unfairness imposed upon foster-parents which amounts to providing compulsory holiday homes for children who are free to return at will?
§ Mr. E. BrownThe arrangements to which my hon. and gallant Friend refers were designed, as was explained in reply to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Anglesey (Miss Lloyd George) on 19th December last, to check the re-evacuation of children who had been previously brought back from reception areas without reasonable excuse. Some of the facts to which the present Question refers are in dispute, but information which has come to my notice has suggested that the arrangements were not being operated wholly in the manner intended. Steps have now been taken which it is hoped will more effectively prevent unnecessary re-evacuation.