§ MR. FLOWERI beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board if he will grant a Return of the number of children who are in infirmaries, workhouses, schools, scattered homes, certified homes, or are boarded out; of the number of such children who are under the care of each inspector, with the areas in winch the inspection is arranged.
§ MR. CHAPLINThe particulars which my hon. friend asks for in the first part of his question will be found in the half-yearly Returns of pauperism which are presented to Parliament of the number of children maintained by the guardians. The latest of these Returns was ordered on the 8th March and issued in May, 1899, and I would draw the attention of my hon. friend to the figures in this Return. With regard to the second part of the question, these children are inspected by a variety of different inspectors, according to the class to which they belong. I am not quite clear whether my hon. friend refers to all or to some of these inspectors, nor would it be easy in any case to give the information on these points.