§ Mr. FLYNNasked the President of the Local Government Board whether, in view of the Report of the Royal Commission on the Poor Laws in respect to the abolition of general workhouses and the appointment of qualified superintendents to specialised institutions, as set forth in paragraph 52, page 653, and having regard to recent disclosures in connection with the Ladywell Workhouse, London, he will consider the advisability of refusing to sanction any permanent appoint- 1556 ments of principal officers in that or any other institution similarly circumstanced, pending legislation on the lines laid down by the Report of the Commission.
§ The PRESIDENT of the LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. Burns)It is necessary that, pending future legislation with regard to workhouses, the existing institutions should be properly carried on, and it would not, I think, be satisfactory that the principal posts in them should be held by temporary officers. I am afraid, therefore, that I could not adopt the suggestion in the last part of the question.
§ Mr. FLYNNIs he aware that if the suggestion mentioned in the question is carried into effect it would result in a saving of £200 or £300 a year at least to the ratepayers.
§ Mr. BURNSI am aware more closely than the hon. Member can be of the whole of the circumstances of Ladywell Workhouse, and my inspector is looking into the whole matter.