§ 72. Sir H. Williamsasked the Minister of Health whether, having regard to the fact that the deaths in England and Wales in the three years following the introduction of the National Health Scheme were 1,576,000 as compared with 1,492,000 in the previous three years, an increase of 6 per cent., and as this increase is attributable to the inadequacy of the present medical service; what steps he proposes to take to improve this.
§ Mr. MarquandI cannot in any way accept the implications in this Question. The increase in the number of deaths is attributable to the increase in population between the two periods and the effect of the influenza epidemic early this year.