§ COLONEL TUFNELL (Essex, S. E.)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board if his attention has been drawn to the resolution unanimously passed by the Essex County Council against the use of the hospital ships for smallpox cases, and urging (if they must be retained) that they should be used only for convalescent cases; and what steps he proposes to take in the matter.
§ THE SECRETARY TO THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. GRANT LAWSON, Yorkshire, N.R., Thirsk)I understand that the Essex County Council have passed a resolution on this subject. The number of smallpox cases under treatment is still very large, and, as I stated in reply to a Question of my hon. and gallant friend in January last, I do not propose to interfere with the discretion of the managers of the Metropolitan Asylum District as to the use of the hospital ships. The managers are endeavouring to provide adequate hospital accommodation on the land, but I cannot at present say that it will be found practicable to restrict the use of the ships to convalescent cases only.