§ SIR BALDWYN LEIGHTONasked the President of the Local Government Board, What has been the result of the inquiries which, at the beginning of the Session, he undertook to make into the subject of the great increase of tramps; and, also, as to how many of them have served in the Army, and how many are actually belonging to the Reserve and receiving the Government pay?
§ MR. DODSONSir, it is not quite correct to say, as the hon. Baronet opposite (Sir Baldwyn Leighton) has done, that I undertook to make inquiry into the great increase in the number of tramps. What I stated, when the former Question was put to me on this subject by the hon. Member was, that the Local Government Board were then engaged in obtaining information to enable them to determine what alterations are needed in the law; that information is not yet complete. It is impossible to say how many of the vagrants have served in the Army and how many are actually belonging to the Reserve, as the Workhouse records do not, as a rule, furnish these particulars.