§ CAPTAIN NORTON (Newington, W.)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for War whether he can state the number of sick soldiers annually granted sick furlough for the purpose of residing with their friends; the number of soldiers suffering from incurable disease who die annually in hospital; the number of men who have served in the Army now in the workhouses of the United Kingdom; and the number who die annually in these institutions?
§ THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO THE WAR OFFICE (Mr. J. POWELL WILLIAMS,) Birmingham, S.The statistics collected for Army hospitals will not afford the particulars asked for. As regards workhouses, a return was obtained for a particular night in December, 1897, when it was found that 8,952 men were present who claimed to have had Army service; but 5,710 of them were unable to substantiate that claim. As to deaths in workhouses, I have no information.