§ MAJOR ANSTRUTHER-GRAY (St. Andrews Burghs)To ask the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been called to the Report of the workhouse master to the Dover Board of Guardians, dated the 12th instant, to the effect that he had saved thirteen tons of bread, value £133, on the dietary scale, and that this had been achieved by the adoption of the principle of allowing inmates to have what bread they required, instead of serving out the regulation quantity, which had hitherto resulted in waste; and whether, in view of the saving thus gained, at no loss to the inmates of the workhouse, he will direct the attention of all local authorities to the matter.
(Answered by Mr. John Burns.) The Dietaries Order issued by the Local Government Board in October, 1900, contains a regulation enabling the guardians of every Poor Law union to direct, in respect of any class of inmates of the workhouse, that a definite portion of the prescribed allowance of bread shall be served in the first instance to each inmate. Any inmate, however, may demand the full allowance to which he is entitled, and the total allowance for each class must in all cases be sent into the dining-room. I understand that the course adopted at Dover is in accordance with this regulation. The matter was brought under the notice of all boards of guardians in the circular which accompanied the Order, and I believe that much advantage has resulted; but I will instruct the inspectors to draw the attention of the guardians to the regulation in any cases where this may be necessary.