§ MR. TILLETT (Norwich)To ask the President of the Local Government Board why inmates of casual wards in workhouses have to pick four pounds of oakum per day, whilst the quantity of oakum picked by an inmate of His Majesty's prisons does not exceed three pounds per diem; and whether he proposes to continue to require inmates of casual wards to pick the quantity prescribed.
(Answered by Mr. John Burns.) The Local Government Board caused inquiries to be made as to this matter some years ago. Information on the subject will be found at page xci. of the 18th Annual.Report of the Board, but it may be stated shortly that the result of the inquiries was to show that, although the maximum amount of the task prescribed for casual paupers exceeds that for prisoners, yet in practice the conditions are so different that the task for casuals is far easier than for prisoners. The whole question of the treatment of the casual poor is now under my consideration in connection with the Report of the Departmental Committee on Vagrancy.