§ MR. JOHN HUTTON (Yorkshire, Richmond)To ask the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been called to Paragraph IX. of the Special Report from the Select Committee on the Aged Pensioners Bill, recommending the extension of the system of cottage homes; if so, will he say whether he proposes to bring in a Bill to carry such recommendation into effect, or will give assistance to enable the Cottage Homes Bill, which was brought in on the 19th February in the present session, to become law; and whether he will also introduce legislation to provide for the removal of imbeciles from the workhouses, as recommended by the Select Committee on the Cottage Homes Bill of 1899 and the Select Committee on the Aged Pensioners Bill, 1903.
(Answered by Mr. Walter Long.) I am aware of the paragraph mentioned; but I 1123 am afraid that I cannot make any promise of proposing legislation during the present session on the subjects referred to in the Question, nor do I think that I can give any pledge with respect to the Cottage Homes Bill, which was brought in on the 19th February last.