§ MR. T. L. CORBETT (Down, N.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to the fact that the number of monasteries and convents in the United Kingdom, apart from Ireland, has increased from fifty-two in 1850 to 990 in 1904; and, if so, whether he will reconsider the need for their inspection.
§ *THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. AKERS-DOUGLAS, Kent, St. Augustine's)There are no official statistics, as I said in my reply to the hon. Member on March 13th.† I am not prepared to take any action with a view to the inspection of monasteries and convents generally.