HC Deb 10 October 1912 vol 42 cc526-7
73. Dr. CHAPPLE

asked whether any of the infants who have recently died in a crèche at Tooting were children to whom the proviso to Sub-section (1) of Section 1 of the Children Act, 1908, applied; whether there are now in that crèche any children to whom that proviso applies; and what visits of inspection have been paid since the crèche was started?

Mr. McKENNA

If, as I presume, a reference is intended to Sub-section (1) of Section 1, the answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. I am informed by the London County Council that in each case the reception of the infants in the home was duly notified. The home was started in June, 1912, and the superintendent was informed by officers of the council as to the precautions to be taken and as to the grave risk she ran in establishing and carrying on the home, and she was warned not to receive many young infants. The council's inspector visited the home on a number of occasions, on none of which was any condition found which would have enabled her to take action for the removal of the infants under Section 5 of the Act. The inspector was assured that the home was under medical supervision, and that in the event of illness a doctor would be instantly available. All the surviving infants have been removed from the home.