HC Deb 18 October 1973 vol 861 cc260-1W
45. Mr. John

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what measures he proposes to remedy the plight of the families shown by the Treasury survey of August 1973 as not getting enough to eat.

46. Mr. David Clark

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action he is taking following the publication of the leading article in Economic Progress Report No. 42, August 1973.

47. Mr. Torney

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the principal article in the Economic Progress Report No. 42, August 1973.

Mr. Nott

The article in question showed clearly that the amount of food obtained by the average household in Scotland, Wales and all the English regions contains a good deal more nourishment than the health experts recommend as normally sufficient for health needs. No significant group of people in Britain is underfed. The Department of Health and Social Security has a nutrition surveillance programme covering the groups of the population most at risk—that is, the elderly, children and pregnant women—which to date shows that there is very little malnutrition in any of these population groups and where it is found it is usually associated with medical conditions.