HC Deb 13 February 1911 vol 21 cc680-1
Mr. LANSBURY

asked the President of the Local Government Board if he would lay upon the Table of the House a copy or copies of any Reports made to him by the inspectors sent down by his instructions to inquire into the causes which led to the recent riot at Belmont Workhouse; and whether he would state how many of the men charged before the magistrates were invited to attend before the inspector and make their complaints?

Mr. BURNS

The Reports of my inspectors are confidential documents, and I cannot undertake to lay a copy of the Report in the present instance on the Table of the House. The men who were charged before the Magistrates were removed in custody on the night of the riot, and on the following day seventy-nine of them were sentenced and two committed for trial. The inspector had no opportunity of examining the men who were dealt with by the Magistrates, but the inspector investigated all complaints made by the other inmates.

Mr. MORRELL

Can the right hon. Gentleman state at all what is the cause which led to this riot?

Mr. BURNS

There have been two disturbances at Belmont, and it is very difficult to ascertain the reason. The reason alleged was in connection with the food, but that is not at all justified. In connection with that, I have a small committee who have been considering the matter, and they do not think that there was any justification for the disturbances either on the ground of the quality or insufficiency of the food. It is important to note that thirty of the offenders had been sentenced seventy-eight times, and had police convictions of that number against them; while the ringleader had eight or nine police convictions against him, amounting in all to six years; and beyond that there were 199 workhouse offences registered against thirty men.

Mr. WEDGWOOD

Is Belmont worse than any other workhouse, and, if so, would it not be better for a change of master.

Mr. BURNS

No; Belmont is no worse than other workhouses; in very many respects it is much better; but probably owing to the demand for classification and the separation of the goats from the sheep the inmates of Belmont are worse than the inmates of other workhouses.