§ MR. W. JONES (Carnarvon, Arfon)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he can state the number of pauper children at present in the metropolitan workhouses, and if the number given in February, 1895, by Mr. Knollys, the Chief General Inspector of the Local Government Board, at 1,809 has been reduced; and whether any action has been taken by the Local Government Board to provide receiving homes for the children; and, if so, what has been the result of such action?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. H. CHAPLIN, Lincs.,) SleafordThe number of children in the metropolitan, workhouses, according to our latest returns, excluding children under two years of age, was 1,124; 554 were under two years of age. The number of children between the ages of two and three ought also to be deducted as children under the age at which they are sent to school. With this deduction the number would probably be about 900. The Local Government Board have communicated with the several boards of guardians with reference to provision by them of accommodation in separate establishments for the children of the less permanent class, and the guardians in many instances have promised to give the matter their consideration. Whilst, however, there is scarcely a union where the question as to provision for the children is not now under consideration in some form or other, there is an indisposition on the part of guardians to provide additional accommodation until it has been seen what has been the effect of the change Which will result from the transfer to the 21 managers of the Metropolitan Asylums District of the care of certain classes of children, including those suffering from ophthalmia, and their arrangements for that purpose are necessarily not yet complete.