§ MR. T. DAVIES (Fulham)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he is aware that the sanction of his Department has been refused to the guardians of Fulham to carry out certain painting works to buildings under their control by direct employment of labour; whether he is aware of the fact that similar work was carried out three years ago without the intervention of a contractor, with the approval and to the satisfaction of the Local Government Board; and, in view of that, will he have the matter reconsidered.
§ MR. JOHN BURNSThe facts are as stated in the first part of the Question. I am not aware that the approval of the Local Government Board was given to work similar to that now proposed being carried out at Fulham three years ago without the intervention of a contractor, though it is the case that no objection was offered by the Board to a small work involving a cost of about £150 being carried out in this way in 1902, in connection with the infirm wards of the workhouse.