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124
The staff engaged on the survey and inspection of premises made
5,382 visits during the year and inspected and approved completed
adaptation work to fireplaces to the value of £46,204 in some 1,205
dwellings.
NATIONAL SURVEY OF AIR POLLUTION
The four stations in the Borough which record daily levels of sulphur
dioxide and smoke in the atmosphere remained in operation during the
year. Two of these were operated by pupils and staff of secondary schools,
one by the laboratory staff of a local factory and the other by staff of the
Health Department. Without the help and assistance from the schools and
factory concerned it is doubtful if the survey could have been maintained
and the assistance we received from the schools and factory concerned is
appreciated. The readings recorded were passed at monthly intervals to the
Warren Spring Laboratory of the Ministry of Technology as the coordinating
body for the survey and who produce periodical reports
showing pollution levels over the whole country.
The level of air pollution is considerably affected by climatic and
meteorological conditions and it is, therefore, intended that recordings
shall be taken for a period of five years before the results of the survey
are made known. Satisfactory averages which can be used for the purpose
of comparison should be available. From our own observations, it appears
that the level of atmospheric pollution in Harrow continues to fall.

The cost of adaptations has risen considerably since the greater free
dom of choice in types of appliances attracting grant aid was introduced.
This followed the White Paper on "Domestic Fuel Supplies and the Clean
Air Policy", which was presented to Parliament in December, 1963.
Householders are still, on average, spending on adaptations double
the amount of the grants received.