§ Mrs. Keirasked the Minister of Health whether he can state the names and number of places which have adopted the new Home Help Scheme, and the number of women who have applied for this work.
§ Mr. WillinkThe Circular that I issued in December authorised welfare authorities to make, without further approval, arrangements for the supply of domestic helps in accordance with the terms of that Circular, and I therefore cannot without special inquiry answer the first part of 2245W the Question. Forty-four welfare authorities have made special inquiries of my Department, and 19 are known to be establishing schemes. On the second part of the Question, my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour and National Service is co-operating in the scheme by facilitating the supply of labour, and he has given it a high priority. He is not in a position to give the number of women who have applied for the work.
§ Sir L. Lyleasked the Minister of Health what classes of the public are entitled, under his regulations, to apply to local authorities for temporary help in domestic emergencies especially in the case of sickness; and how many local authorities have so far brought the scheme into working order.
§ Mr. WillinkThe types of case for which the scheme referred to by my hon. Friend is intended are described in the Circular that I issued to local authorities in December last, of which I am sending him
STATEMENT — Rates Levied in financial year ended 31st March, 1944 Estimated Resident Civilian Population (Middle 1940) Rateable value in April, 1943 s. d. £ Birmingham … 16 0 997,900 7,531,244 Manchester … 16 0 622,300 6,358,033 Westminster City … 12 2 85,920‡ 9,490,681 Bournemouth … 8 0 130,100 1,972,435 Liverpool … 15 9† 752,800 6,584,170 Sheffield* … 17 6 496,700 3,396,871 Leeds* … 16 0 465,700 3,896,566 Bradford* … 16 4 271,700 2,190,425 West Ham … 21 6 198,200 1,297,187 * The Borough comprises two or more differentially rated areas. The amount in the pound shown in Col. 2 relates to the oldest (or most central) portion of the borough. † Liverpool—including a water rate levied on the occupiers of property as occupiers but not the water rent and charges levied on consumers as consumers. ‡ Westminster—estimated resident (i.e. night) population which is considerably less than the ratepaying (or day) population of the City.