CONTENTS.

NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE-continued.

PAGE

Benefits

121

Sickness, Disablement and Maternity Benefits

121

Application of the Arrears Scheme to the Contribution Year ended

Assistance to Approved Societies

Prosecutions

Finance and Accounting Arrangements

Security given by Approved Societies

Issues of Funds to Approved Societies

Investments

Amount available for Investment

Accounts of the Welsh National Health Insurance Fund

124

124

124-125

124

124

125

125

125

Contributions of Army and Air Force Members for Periods to

31st December, 1920

125

Butter Cheese-Cream-Coffee-Vinegar-Self - raising

I. Statement of the Results of Analysis of certain Articles under

the Sale of Food and Drugs Acts during the Year 1921,

and comparison of Percentage Adulterated with that in

the Year 1920 ..

II. Particulars of Grants made to Voluntary Hospitals by the

Voluntary Hospitals Commission to the 31st March, 1922

III. Canal Boats Acts, 1877 and 1884: Report by Mr. Owen J.

Llewellyn, Inspector under the Canal Boats Acts, for the

Year 1921

IV. Statement showing the Town Planning Schemes proposed or

in operation at the 31st March, 1922, and the area included

in the Schemes

V. Statement showing the Town Planning Schemes finally

approved by the Minister during the year ended the

31st March, 1922, the Schemes under consideration, and

the area included in the Schemes

VI. Statement showing Preliminary Statements approved by the

Minister or submitted for approval during the year ended

the 31st March, 1922, and the area included in the

proposed Schemes

VII. Statement showing the Districts the Local Authorities of

which have reported to the Minister during the year ended

the 31st March, 1922, that they have passed resolutions

deciding to prepare Town Planning Schemes under the

Town Planning Acts, 1909 and 1919, and the area included

in the proposed Schemes

VIII. Statement of Schemes in respect of which Grants have been

made by the Unemployment Grants Committee during the

Year ended the 31st March, 1922 ..

IX. Purposes of Provisional Orders amending Local Acts..

X. Local Taxation Account, and Local Taxation Licence Duties

not passing through the Account, 1889-90 to 1921-22 ..

XI. Aggregate Expenditure, Receipts, and Outstanding Loan Debt

of the Local Authorities in England and Wales, distin-

guishing the receipts, etc., in respect of each of the

principal local services:

142

143

143

145

146

147

147

148

149

150

Receipts from rates, and receipts not allocated to
specific services. Footnote (h) on page 153

Expenditure defrayed out of loans

Outstanding loan debt

XII-XVI. Persons in receipt of Poor Law Relief: Calendar Year 1921-

XII. List of Unions covered by the Trade Groups mentioned

in Appendix XIII

XIII. Number of persons, per 1,000 of the population in

receipt of poor law relief in England and Wales, in

London, and in certain extra-metropolitan poor law

Unions connected with the mining, metal and

machinery, shipping and shipbuilding, and textile

industries respectively

XIV. Number of persons, per 1,000 of the population in

receipt of poor law relief in certain groups of Unions

mentioned on pages 81, 82 of the Report as showing:

A-A coal dispute peak

B-An unemployed peak

C-Both peaks

D-No peak

XV. List of Unions covered by Appendix XIV

XVI. Number of persons, per 1,000 of the population, in

receipt of poor law relief in the Manchester Union

and the Halifax Union respectively

XVII. Abstract of approximate Receipts and Payments of Approved

Societies and Insurance Committees (for England) for

the Year 1921

XVIII. National Health Insurance Fund (England) : Abstract of Cash

Receipts and Payments for the Year ended the

31st December, 1921

XIX. Summary of approximate Receipts and Payments under the

National Health Insurance Acts in England for the Year

1921, showing Accumulated Funds at the beginning and

end of the Year

XX. Table showing (for England) particulars as to the Security

given by Approved Societies under Section 26 of the Act

of 1911, and as regards the period from 15th July, 1912,

to 31st December, 1921, the number and amount of

Claims in respect of Losses (and Expenses) arising out of

Malversation or Misappropriation of State Funds by

Officers of Approved Societies which had given Security..

WELSH BOARD OF HEALTH.

XXI. Table showing (for Wales) particulars as to the Security given

by Approved Societies under Section 26 of the Act of 1911

as at 31st December, 1921, and, as regards the period from

15th July, 1912, to 31st December, 1921, the number and

amount of Claims in respect of Losses (and Expenses)

arising out of Malversation or Misappropriation of State

Funds by Officers of Approved Societies which have

given security

XXII. Welsh National Health Insurance Fund: Abstract of Cash

Receipts and Payments for the year ended 31st December,

1921

XXIII. Summary of approximate Receipts and Payments under the

National Health Insurance Acts in Wales for the year 1921,

showing Accumulated Funds at the beginning and end of

the year

PAGE

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153

153

154

155

156

156

156

156

157

158

159

160

162

163

164

165

166

REPORT.

TO THE KING'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY.

MINISTRY OF HEALTH,

WHITEHALL,

June, 1922.

MAY IT PLEASE YOUR MAJESTY,

I beg leave, as Minister of Health, to present to Your Majesty the Third Annual Report of the Ministry of Health, which relates to the year ended on the 31st March, 1922.

The subjects dealt with in the report fall under the main heads of Public Health, Local Government and Local Finance, administration of the Poor Law, and administration of National Health Insurance. A separate section is devoted to the work of the Welsh Board of Health.

The Report is a record of the more important business transacted by the Department during the year, and does not cover matters of routine or detail. Every effort has been made to reduce its length on this principle.

As in previous years, the Report of the Chief Medical Officer of the Department will be published in a separate volume.

W. A. ROBINSON,

Secretary.

ALFRED MOND,
Minister of Health.

PREFATORY NOTE.

The Ministry of Health in 1921-22.

The statement in this Note of facts and figures relating to the work of the Department during the year under review is restricted in its scope to matters of outstanding importance and public interest. Further particulars in regard to these matters will be found in the body of the Report. The Report also deals with many branches of work which have not, during the year under review, come into special prominence, but form a regular part of the Department's duties.

Economy.

COMMITTEE ON NATIONAL EXPENDiture.

The administration of the Department was reviewed by the Committee on National Expenditure, over which Sir Eric Geddes presided, in the First Interim Report of the Committee (Cmd. 1581).

Findings of the Committee and Action Taken.

(a) As to the Cost of the Department.

On this point the Committee's general finding was as follows:We have had submitted to us a very complete account of the administrative system of the Ministry, and are satisfied that vigorous steps have been taken to reduce expenditure on staff.” The staff of the Department was reduced from a maximum of 6,462 in 1920-21 to 4,134 on the 1st April, 1922, and the sum which Parliament will be asked to provide for salaries, wages and allowances during 1922-23 is less by £680,000 than the sum provided in 1921-22.

On administrative charges as a whole a saving of £863,000 as compared with 1921-22 has been made. The effect on the total Estimate for the Department is that though more money will be devoted to essential health services in 1922-23 than was contemplated by the Committee, less money than the Committee thought would be reasonable will be spent on account of the Department as a whole.

(b) As to the Percentage Grant System.

The system under which the taxpayer's contribution in aid of services administered by Local Authorities varies with the amount raised from local ratepayers was described by the Committee as "a money-spending device.

The grants of this nature with which the Department are concerned are those paid in respect of approved expenditure by Local Authorities on the treatment of tuberculosis and of venereal diseases, on maternity and child welfare, and on port sanitation.

The Committee reported that the Department concurred with their opinion "that from an administrative point of view it would be a great saving to get rid of the percentage grants basis."