§ MR. TALBOT (Oxford University)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether, when he stated that he had not received representations from different parts of the Metropolis that poor persons are now kept in their crowded homes suffering from infectious disease, in consequence of there being no room for them in the hospitals of the Metropolitan Asylums Board, his attention had been called to a letter from the Board of Guardians of the St. George's Union, dated 14th June, in which the attention of the Board was called to this very condition of things, and which letter was acknowledged by the Secretary to the Local Government Board on the 15th instant; and, if not, whether he will give instructions that matters of such importance shall be brought to his personal attention?
§ MR. H. H. FOWLERWhen I replied to the hon. Member, I was aware of the anxiety felt by the Guardians of the St. George's Union with respect to the question of hospital accommodation, although my attention had not been called to the letter to which the question alludes and which had been referred to one of the Board's Inspectors. I can only repeat what I stated in reply to the hon. Gentleman—that it is my desire in every way to assist the Managers of the Metropolitan Asylums District, and that I shall do everything in my power to facilitate the carrying out of any proposals which they may make for providing either temporary or permanent additional accommodation.
§ MR. TALBOTAlthough the right hon. Gentleman is correct in saying that the initiative is with the Metropolitan Asylums Board, will he not admit that the final decision rests with the Local Government Board?
§ MR. H. H. FOWLERI have decided every case brought before me, the last one having been decided to-day.