§ 58. Sir JOHN SPEARasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been drawn to several cases where infants received for nursing and maintenance, within the meaning of Part I. of the Children Act, 1908, have been handed over to the Poor Law authorities in consequence of failure on the part of the parents of such infants to carry out the financial arrangements made between them and the persons by whom the infants have been received, the parents having disappeared as soon as the infants have been received; and whether, as a means to prevent parents thus avoiding their financial responsibilities, he will introduce a short measure requiring that a person placing out an infant for nursing and maintenance shall give at least forty-eight hours' notice, before the infant is placed out to nurse, to the local authority of the district from which the infant is to be sent, and also to the local authority of the district to which the infant is about to be sent for nursing and maintenance?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. McKenna)I am aware that cases of the nature mentioned have occasionally occurred. Such cases were brought to the notice of my right hon. Friend when the Children Bill was passing, but it was not found possible to frame any provisions to deal with them. I cannot undertake to introduce a Bill, but I will consult with the President of the Local Government Board as to whether anything can be done when there is an opportunity for legislation. It is not clear that the adoption of the course suggested would be an effectual remedy.