§ MR. BOLAND (Kerry, S.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he can state the total annual expenditure by the Maltese Government Department of Charitable Institutions, including hospitals; how much of this is contributed by the War Office and by the Admiralty respectively; are the military and naval hospitals open to civilians; has he considered the advisability of placing all the hospitals under one central authority; and, if not, will he consider the advisability of placing the civil charitable institutions under the control of a Maltese local government board elected by the taxpayers who support these institutions.
§ MR. LYTTELTONThe total expenditure of the Maltese Government Department of Charitable Institutions, including hospitals, is estimated in the Colonial Estimates for 1904–5 at £56,337,14,10. None of this expenditure is contributed by the War Office or the Admiralty. The military and naval hospitals are not under ordinary circumstances open to civilians. I have not had under my consideration the questions referred to in the last part of the hon. Member's Question, and I am not aware of any sufficient reasons for modifying existing arrangements.
§ MR BOLANDAs neither the War Office nor the Admiralty make any contributions to this expenditure, will the right hon. Gentleman consider the advisability of allowing the people of Malta to look after their own hospitals for which they pay?