1182

Parliament

Pollution of RiversTHE 1951 Act entrusts the defence of our rivers against

pollution to the river boards, but it includes a proviso that forseven years the boards can only bring proceedings in respectto the discharge of trade effluents or of effluents from localauthority’s sewage works with the approval of the Minister ofHousing and Local Government. The Act also makes provisionfor the extension of this period by Order in Council, and onMay 17 Mr. J. R. BEVINS, parliamentary secretary to the

Ministry, asked for its extension for another three years. Thetemporary restriction of the boards’ powers had been imposed,he reminded the House, because it was feared that withoutsome control over prosecutions, we might have been forcedinto capital expenditure which the country could ill afford. Inthe event, however, the river boards had been confronted withtechnical obstacles which so far had prevented them from devis-ing byelaws laying down permissible quantity and qualitystandards for effluents. Against this background the Ministerhad asked the Central Advisory Water Committee whetherthe seven-year period should be extended and they hadrecommended that it should be extended by a further threeyears.

Since the 1951 Act became law, Mr. Bevins recalled, therehad been 25 applications for the Minister’s consent to prosecute.Consent had been given in 7 cases and fines had been imposedby the courts. In the remaining 18 cases, the applications forconsent to prosecute were withdrawn while remedial measureswere being taken, and 5 of those were still under consideration.In only 1 case was consent to prosecute refused by the Minister.If the seven-year period was allowed to expire it would then beopen to anyone alleged by a river board to be causing pollutionto plead in defence that it was not reasonably practicable todispose of the effluent other than by discharging it into the

stream; and secondly, that all reasonable and practical steps hadbeen taken to make the effluent not poisonous or noxious. If thecourt accepted that plea, then the person alleged to be respon-sible would not be liable to any penalty. This broad provisionin the 1951 Act has been in suspense during the last seven yearsand would remain in suspense if the period of control was pro-longed. Thus though the termination of the period might makeit easier for the river boards to put pressure on alleged offenders,they would find it more difficult in cases of prosecution to

sustain their argument before the court. But Mr. Bevins addedthat he would not disguise for a moment that the fundamentaldifficulty was money. So long as we had restrictions on capitalexpenditure which might prevent the extension of sewagetreatment works we could not ignore the fears of those in

industry lest they should be caught between the difficulties ofcapital restriction on the one hand and prosecution on theother. The Minister was not in any way complacent about thisproblem: where he could he was authorising capital expenditurefor sewage treatment works and sewage disposal. Since the

war, schemes costing more than E200 millions had beensanctioned and there had been a steady increase in the lastfew years.Members were less happy than Mr. Bevins about the pro-

posed extension. Mr. ANTHONY GREENWOOD, as a representa-tive of one of the dirtiest rivers in the country, viewed it witha good deal of dismay and suspicion. He suggested that itwould in fact defer for another three years the granting ofadequate powers to the boards. Though so much money hadbeen spent on sewage schemes, improvement had not beenrapid because towns were taking more and more water out ofrivers above the town and putting back water into the river inthe form of inadequately treated sewage below the town. Theflow of many of our rivers had been seriously reduced. Untilwe had a national water plan this situation would continue. TheMinistry which was responsible for curbing development ofsewerage schemes was at the same time allowing water authori-ties to deplete our streams. During the three extra years nowasked for our streams would continue to be polluted and there

could be serious possibility of a grave epidemic. He reluctantlyassented to the proposal, but thought that there should be nofurther extension and that the Ministry should really get downto the job of seeing that the river boards could discharge thetask which had been entrusted to them.

Mr. EDWARD SHORT said that the River Tyne had beendescribed as an open sewer. Surely it could not be healthy tohave this great sewer running through the middle of a denselypopulated industrial area. As he understood it, the localauthorities were under no obligation, so long as the immunityexisted, to find alternative methods of disposal, and they wereunder no obligation to render the effluent innocuous. Yet no

part of the country was far from the sea. It was simply a ques-tion of money to take the industrial waste or sewage to the sea.Every year great new housing estates arose, and every yearnew industries developed with new and more deadly kinds ofwaste. In the future we might have nuclear waste dischargedinto our rivers.

Mr. BEVINs agreed that in certain areas there had been somedeterioration in the state of our rivers. But the question waswhether the removal of Ministerial consent would help to

lessen pollution, and whether this would be the right time toremove that consent. He submitted that it would be unreason-

able, at this stage, to expose people to the risk of prosecutionwhen control over capital investment might be holding back theconstruction of modern sewage works through which mostindustrial effluents should pass. The figures for capital invest-ment in sewerage works since the war did not support the viewthat the Government had been neglecting their duty. Therewas no evidence of a single scheme put up by a local authoritywhich had been turned down, if it was essential in the interestsof health.The House agreed to ask for an extension.

QUESTION TIMESuicide and the Law

Mr. KENNETH ROBINSON asked the Home Secretary whatfurther consideration he had given to the legal aspect of suicideand attempted suicide; and if he was aware that the law of

England and Wales stands almost alone in regarding such acts ascriminal.-Mr. R. A. BUTLER replied: I am pursuing my studyof this problem, which has practical aspects of no less impor-tance than its legal aspects. I am not yet ready to reach aconclusion upon it. Mr. ROBINSON: Is the Minister awarethat a joint committee, set up by the British Medical Associationand the Magistrates’ Association, has reported in favour of achange in the law ? In view of this weighty opinion, will notthe Home Secretary make an early decision in this matter ?-Mr. BUTLER : I am aware of the report. I am also aware of vari-ous other considerations. I think this is a very difficult subject,but I will undertake to consider what the hon. gentleman hassaid.

Mr. GORDON WALKER: Would not the Minister agree thatthis is a matter which needs as early consideration and decisionas possible ? Would not he also agree that there are no realreligious grounds for our law as to attempted suicide, and thatthis was due to a judicial decision about a hundred years ago?Is there not a great deal to be said for bringing our law intoline with that of other countries ?-Mr. BUTLER: I havecarefully studied the position in other countries and also thestatistics of the convictions. For example, in 1956, proceedingswere brought in 613 cases out of 5000 or more, and over 90%of these charges resulted in probation for the person concerned,and very few in sentences of imprisonment. I have alsoconsidered that in a minority of cases, without the power wehave now, we might not be able to achieve the desired results,so that, on the facts, it is a very difficult question to decide.Mr. ROBINSON : Does not the Minister agree that other pro-

visions of the law in regard to breach of the peace and mentalhealth are quite sufficient to deal with the cases he has in mind ?- Mr. BUTLER : The Government’s approach to mental healthis at present actual, and does bring all this subject to the fore.It is against that background that I am examining it.

1183

Wolfenden ReportMr. D. L. DoNNELLY asked the Home Secretary whether he

was yet in a position to make a further statement regarding theGovernment’s policy towards the Wolfenden report on homo-sexuality and prostitution.-Mr. BUTLER replied: Manyrepresentations have been made since the report was published.Some of them are in support of the committee’s recommenda-

tions, but others are strongly critical. This applies both to themain recommendations on homosexual offences and to thoseon prostitution. It is clear that the committee’s recommenda-tions have stirred public opinion widely and deeply, and Iwould not propose to decide on a future course of actionuntil that opinion has had the fullest opportunity of expressingitself.

Composition of Milk CommitteeThe Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food has set up

a committeeTo consider the composition of milk sold off farms in the United

Kingdom from the standpoint both of human nutrition and ofanimal husbandry and to recommend any legislative or other changesthat may be desirable.

The chairman will be Dr. J. W. Cook, vice-chancellor ofExeter University, and the 14 other members include Dr. D. P.Cuthbertson, Dr. Philip Evans, Dr. H. E. Magee, and Prof.B. S. Platt.

Scientific Research

The Lord President of the Council has set up a committee,under the chairmanship of Sir Claude Gibb, with the followingterms of reference:

" To inquire into the techniques employed by Government

Departments, and other bodies wholly financed by the Exchequer,for the management and control of research and development carriedout by them or on their behalf and to make recommendations."The five other members include Sir Solly Zuckerman,

professor of anatomy in the University of Birmingham.

ObituaryProf. GEOFFREY RAKE

S. C. L. writes:

Surely a measure of the impact of a personality is thevividness of a memory recalled from afar. I was a " clinical "with Geoffrey Rake in our first post-qualification appointment,and although I did not know him well then or at any time, hestill looms out in strong silhouette against the misty back-ground of his colleagues-and, for that matter, of most of hismentors.

It was as a student that he did his meticulous work onachalasia of the cardia-a fragment of research that wouldhave done credit to an experienced postgraduate. He was

serious, shy, meticulous, and obsessional, with bursts of

gaiety. I remember him best for one incident. After a bedsidedissertation by a senior physician on the colour of the con-junctivum as an assessment of the haemoglobin value, we wereall made to examine a patient, and we guessed wildly in turn.But Geoffrey Rake peered down for what seemed an inter-minable time into the eye of the patient, stood up, said" Eighty-five per cent," then reflected and said, " No,eighty-three per cent." Much as I would like to report thathis considered opinion was correct, I cannot, for there mymemory returns to the mists.

Births, Marriages, and Deaths

DEATHS

COATES.-On May 24, at Bridgwater Hospital, Somerset. John FrancisCoates, M.D., M.R.C.P., aged 50, husband of Eve, only son of Dr.Richard Coates of Burnham, Somerset.

Notes and News

EDUCATION IN HEALTH AND NUTRITION

IN many underdeveloped countries much of the new medicalscience cannot benefit the people until they have learnt some-thing of the general principles that cause diseases to spread.How such knowledge is best given was discussed at a seminar 1in Bagnio, in the Philippines, organised by the Food andAgriculture Organisation and the World Health Organisation,in October, 1955. It was attended by over 70 people, doctors,educationists, home economists, social workers, and othersfrom many countries in Asia and it was directed by aninternational staff.The report is written by one of the delegates. A single

authorship allows a more lively style and outspokenness than ispossible when, as in so many international reports, manyauthors are jointly responsible. There is, for instance, a detailedcriticism of the organisation and planning of the seminar.This is useful, for the seminar itself was a major new venturein education, and future international seminars can profit fromthe experience gained. Although, with a large subject, thediscussions were necessarily diffuse, a few general principlesemerged.

1. No educational programme can be effective unless it is based ona knowledge of the way of life of the people and their own desiresand ambitions. Their beliefs, behaviour, attitudes towards healthand disease and towards food must first be studied. This can only bedone by living amongst the people in their village.

2. Education must have well-defined goals and objectives. Thesemust be expressed specifically for the areas in which it is hoped tobring about a change and must be stated in terms suitable for opera-tions in small villages. Full consideration must be given to the wishesof the community and the programme must be designed to fulfilneeds felt by the people themselves. In drawing up plans it is neces-sary to consult doctors and other health workers, educationists,economists, and agriculturists and, most important of all, local

community leaders. The recognition of such leaders and the enlist-ment of their cooperation is an essential preliminary.

3. The techniques of education applicable for children in schoolsmay be useless for adults. In particular didactic teaching is oflimited value. Demonstrations are to be preferred and every effortmade to involve as many members of the village as possible in thedemonstrations. Adult teaching is best based on groups with acommon interest, which already exists in a community.Much health education in the past has been unprofitable

owing to the use of techniques unsuited to the local community.If waste of effort and money is to be avoided, a careful attemptat evaluation of the results of an educational programme mustbe made. Such evaluation should not be left till the end, butshould be made periodically to find out whether the programmeis developing as planned.There is much valuable detail in this report, and all

concerned with promoting the health and welfare of village lifein the tropics will be able to learn something of value from it.

INITIAL SALARIES OF CONSULTANTS AND S.H.M.O.s

THE Minister of Health (H.M. [58] 38) has asked hospitalboards to take account of a submission by Committee B of theMedical Whitley Council. The committee points out that,under the Terms and Conditions of Service of Hospital MedicalStaff, consultants and senior hospital medical officers appointedat age 32 or over are to be paid under incremental scales,subject to the discretion given to boards to fix the startingsalary up to four incremental points above the minimum:(1) by reason of age, special experience, and qualifications; or(2) by reason of age alone, where seniority has been lostbecause of service with the Forces. Committee B reports thata higher proportion than might have been expected have onappointment been placed at the minimum point on the scale.The committee says that boards should consider exercisingtheir discretion in each case on merit; and it suggests thatboards might look for advice to the Advisory AppointmentsCommittee.

1. Report on an International Seminar on Education in Health and Nutrition.By F. W. CLEMENTS (1956). F.A.O. Nutrition Meetings Report Seriesno. 13. Obtainable from H.M. Stationery Office. Pp. 91. 5s.