§ Mr. CHIOZZA MONEYasked how many imbeciles and lunatics have escaped from public asylums in the United Kingdom during the last five years and how many of the escaped lunatics were recaptured?
§ Mr. GLADSTONEI have not the figures for the United Kingdom, but the following are the numbers of escapes and recaptures respectively in the last five years in England and Wales:—
| 1904 | 367 | 327 |
| 1905 | 363 | 328 |
| 1906 | 396 | 349 |
| 1907 | 356 | 317 |
| 1908 | 364 | 308 |
| Total | 1846 | 1629 |
§ Mr. CHIOZZA MONEYasked, with reference to the 67 imbeciles and lunatics who escaped from public asylums in England and Wales between 1st January and 31st March, 1909, how the 67 lunatics in 1161 question are classified with regard to the degree of their lunacy or imbecility by the authorities; how many of the 67 have been recaptured; and what measures he is taking with asylum authorities to protect the public from an average of five escapes from public asylums per week?
§ Mr. GLADSTONEThe Commissioners in Lunacy cannot yet furnish me with the information referred to in the first part of the question. Fifty-seven out of the 67 who escaped were recaptured. The Commissioners consider, and I agree, that asylum authorities generally in the country take proper precaution to prevent escapes. As they state in the Report which was presented to Parliament last week, public opinion would not endorse the retrograde step of making asylums once more in the nature of prisons.