MR. BATEMAN HOPE (Somersetshire, N.)To ask the President of the Local Government Board if he will state 728 the number of children entirely dependent on the rates on 1st January, 1908.
(Answered by Mr. John Burns.) The total number of children who were entirely dependent on Poor Law relief on 1st January last cannot be stated. To a very large extent children are relieved with their parents, who are not necessarily entirely dependent on the relief given them. I may, however, state that on that date the number of children in England and Wales in receipt of relief was 236,900. If from this total the children who had a parent living and who received only some form of out-relief are deducted, the number left is 73,309. Over 63,000 of them received indoor relief.