§ SIR JOSEPH BAILEYasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether any complaints have been received as to the inconvenience and danger arising from the present practice of sending Criminal Lunatics to County Asylums; and, whether he has considered the desirability of making use of one or more of the discontinued Prisons for the confinement of such Criminal Lunatics?
MR. ASSHETON CROSS,in reply, said, that only one complaint had been received, and that was made under a 985 misconception of the law and practice with regard to criminal lunatics. In the course, however, of an inquiry made by him some time ago with respect to Broadmoor, it did appear that the presence of criminal lunatics in county asylums was, to a certain extent, a source of inconvenience. He had not considered the desirability of using discontinued prisons for the confinement of such criminal lunatics as were now sent to county asylums, as the charge of these lunatics did not fall upon the Government.