HC Deb 05 June 1902 vol 108 cc1534-5
MR. NORMAN (Wolverhampton, S.)

To ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he proposes to take any action, by legislation, by general Order, or otherwise, to bring about the separation in workhouses of the epileptics of both sexes, who for the greater part of the time are sane and well behaved, from the hopeless and permanent imbeciles.

(Answer.) Section 24 of The Lunacy Act, 1890, requires that a person shall not be allowed to remain in a workhouse as a lunatic unless the medical officer certifies that the accommodation in the workhouse is sufficient for his proper care and treatment separate from the inmates of the workhouse who are not lunatics, except where his condition is such that it is not necessary for his convenience or that of the other inmates that he should be kept separate. It follows that any sane epileptic is required to he kept separate from the imbeciles unless the condition of the latter is such that their separation from other inmates is not necessary. It does not, at present, appear to me that fresh legislation on this subject is requisite. If it should be shown that further regulations are needed I should be ready to consider the matter.—(Local Government Board.)