§ MR. FLOWER (Bradford, W.)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board if he can state how many boards of guardians have adopted the system of boarding-out Poor Law children since the year 1897; and if he will state how many have abandoned the system.
§ THE SECRETARY TO THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. T. W. RUSSELL,) Tyrone, S.Four boards of guardians have since 1897 adopted the system of boarding-out children beyond the limits of the union, and fifteen boards of guardians have boarded or propose to board children within the limits of the union under the supervision of a boarding-out committee. The Local Government Board have no precise information as to the abandonment of the system of boarding-out by boards of guardians. The last returns, however, 593 show that five boards of guardians, who in 1897 boarded out children beyond the union, had at the date of the return no children so boarded out.