§ MR. BLACK (Banffshire)To ask the Secretary for Scotland whether his attention has been called to the large increase which has, during the last thirty years, taken place in the proportion of aged poor who are inmates of poorhouses in Scotland as compared with those receiving outdoor relief; whether he has any official information showing that this increase is due to a change of policy, involving aged persons being compelled in greater numbers to go into the poor-house without the alternative of outdoor relief being offered them; and, if so, will he revert to the former practice of permitting the aged poor to receive relief in their own homes in all cases where they can so arrange.
(Answered by MR. A. Graham Murray.) I am imformed by the Local Government Board that they are not in a position to 1189 confirm the statement of the hon. Member in regard to relief of the aged poor. There has been no change of policy on the part of the Board in the direction indicated.