§ Mr. WEDGWOODasked the President of the Local Government Board whether 9,223 healthy children are still maintained in the workhouses; and whether he is taking any and, if so, what steps to induce those local authorities who have not adopted the scattered home or some similar system to bring their practice into accord with modern views?
§ The PRESIDENT of the LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. Burns)The figure given by my hon. Friend relates to the 1st July, 1910. Since then, the question of removing children from the workhouse, which was pressed upon boards of guardians in the circular which I issued in June last, has been freely considered by them, and many proposals for the establishment of scattered homes have been submitted to and approved by my Department. I hope that the corresponding figure for this year may show a marked decrease.