Mr. NICHOLSONasked the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention had been drawn to Recommendation No. 13, on page 648 of the majority Report of the Royal Commission on the Poor Laws and Relief of Distress; and whether he could see his way to take any action on that recommendation, which would result in effecting economy in the construction of poor-law institutions?
§ Mr. BURNSI concur in the view that all such economy should be exercised in the construction of poor-law buildings as is compatible with efficiency. I have consistently pressed this view upon boards of guardians, and I may state that during the four years from 1905 to 1908 the Department succeeded in bringing about reductions amounting to some £380,000 in the estimates for capital expenditure on poor-law buildings.