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the issue of milk were slightly modified by an Order issued in
1919; the Milk Orders were rescinded in March, 1921—the continuance
of the service being permitted by sanction of each local
scheme under authority given to the Ministry by the Maternity
and Child Welfare Act, 1918, this action being taken by the
Ministry, according to Circular 185, in order to ensure a uniform
system of milk distribution throughout the country.
I reported to the Maternity and Child Welfare Committee on
the points raised by the Ministry in Circular 185, as follows:—
April 8th, 1921.
Supply of Milk for Expectant and Nursing Mothers and for
Infants.
The Members of the Committee have probably already been
informed by the General Press that the Ministry of Health and
the Food Controller have revoked the Orders under which Borough
Councils were empowered to supply milk to mothers and infants,
and that special sanction is now required before the arrangements
for supplying milk, either as at present in force or modified
in detail can be continued. In order, therefore, that there
should be no delay in presenting the necessary scheme for
approval by the Ministry I am reporting on the present arrangements
and setting out the details in which the scheme of the
Borough Council differs from the scheme suggested by the
Ministry in the circular accompanying the copies of the rescission
orders.
(1) The circular of the Ministry states that sanction for the
supply of milk will be granted only to nursing mothers, expectant
mothers in the last three months of pregnancy, and children up
to 3 years of age, as a routine measure.
The Committee are aware that expectant mothers, with no
restriction as to date of pregnancy, and children up to 5 years
of' age were previously permitted under the Orders to receive
milk.