§ 35. Sir ALBERT SPICERasked the President of the Local Government Board how many of the 8,281 children who on the 1st of January, 1912, were being treated in workhouse infirmaries were over three years of age: if he will state how many of these 8,281 children were in wards reserved for children; and how many workhouse infirmaries in England and Wales have such separate children's wards?
§ The PRESIDENT Of the LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. Burns)Of the 8,281 children in workhouse infirmaries and district sick asylums on the 1st January, 1912, 4,768 were over three years of age. The Returns do not show how many children were in wards separately reserved for children. As my right hon. Friend is aware, there are practical difficulties in obtaining complete separation in all cases, but it is my desire to encourage the separate warding of children wherever possible.
§ Sir ALBERT SPICERCould not the right hon. Gentleman obtain some more information as to the separate wards for children?
§ Mr. BURNSI am less anxious to obtain information about the sick wards than to get all the children out of the workhouse and workhouse infirmaries altogether.