§ Dr. COOPER (Southwark, Bermondsey)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether, as the majority of persons detained in workhouses, sick asylums, and parochial schools are women and young children, he will consider the advisability of appointing women as general inspectors of the Local Government Board.
§ MR. JOHN BURNSThe general inspectors have important duties besides those in which the classes referred to are: concerned. I could not give any undertaking to appoint women to these inspectorships; but I may point out that there is an assistant lady inspector who visits Poor Law institutions in the Metropolitan district with special reference to women and children and to the sick.
§ DR. COOPERBut surely the right hon. Gentleman is aware that women are as competent as men to carry out the other duties?