§ MR. WATTI beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether any independent inspection is made by his Department of fever hospitals managed by public corporations; and, if not, will he see that such inspections are instituted, in view of the fact that the public have necessarily less opportunity of judging of these than in the case of general hospitals.
§ MR. JOHN BURNSA fever hospital provided by a local authority would not be inspected by a medical inspector of the Local Government Board in the ordinary course. The responsibility for the proper administration of such a hospital rests with the local authority, though, in some instances, where there has been complaint of mal-administration the Board have caused an investigation to be made. Moreover, where the district of a sanitary authority is inspected by a medical inspector, he would include the hospital of the authority in his inspection. It does not seem to me necessary that any change should be made in the practice in this matter.
§ MR. WATTIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that a number of these fever hospitals were recently found to be in a. very unsatisfactory state?
§ MR. JOHN BURNSIf the hon. Member will give me information I shall only be too pleased to break through the rule and send a medical inspector at once.