§ MR. T. F. RICHARDS (Wolverhampton, W.)To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will state the total cost of the care of lunatics in England and Wales for the last year for which Returns are available, whether borne by Imperial or local taxation, including therein the annual interest charges on capital indebtedness, the yearly cost of the maintenance of all asylums, the expenses of the Lunacy Commissioners, and the charges made for the Broodmoor Criminal Lunatic Asylum, together with the proportion of money obtained from Imperial and local taxation.
(Answered by Mr. Secretary Gladstone.) In the year 1905–6, the last for which complete figures are available, the total expenditure of the local authorities of England and Wales in respect of lunatics and lunatic asylums, as ascertained provisionally for the purposes of the summary of the Local Taxation Returns, was £3,551,955. This is made up as follows—
1956 The total amounts received by the local authorities in that year in the shape of grants from the Exchequer and other receipts which can be definitely allocated as being in respect of lunatics and lunatic asylums were—
£ (1) Loan changes(other than those paid by the London Country Council 642,686 (2) Maintenance and other changes not met out of loans 2,909,269 3,551,955 There is in addition to the above, the cost of the Broadmoor Criminal Lunatic Asylum and of the Lunacy Commission which fall entirely on Imperial funds. The former of these, including expenses charged to other funds or votes, but allowing for appropriations in aid, was, in the same year (1905–6) £38,966, and the latter £18,764.
£ Grants 878,193 Miscellaneous receipts not derived from taxation 421,664