§ Dr. Wyndham Daviesasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress is being made in the co-ordination of existing statutory social services under the departments of designated medical officers of health who alone have received the special training needed for a broad approach.
§ Miss BaconA circular issued jointly by the Home Office, Ministry or Health, and Ministry of Education in July, 1950, invited the councils of counties and county boroughs to designate a senior officer to co-ordinate the work of statutory and voluntary services concerned with the welfare of families and children; and in some 40 instances the medical officer of health is the officer who has been so designated. My right hon. and learned Friend does not agree that medical officers of health alone are suited to undertake this responsibility. As my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster said on 26th July in reply to Questions by the hon. Member for Norwich, North (Mr. Wallace) and the right hon. Member for Sutton Cold-field (Mr. Geoffrey Lloyd) the Government are considering the problem of improving the co-ordination of social services.