§ 16. Mr. W. THORNEasked the President of the Local Government Board if he can state how many men and women, respectively, have been placed on bread and water punishment diet in the various workhouses, and the periods and reasons of the punishments; and if he will state separately the number of cases where the punishment was ordered by the committee or by order of the workhouse master; whether he will consider the question of issuing new Regulations stating that before inmates of Poor Law institutions are ordered bread and water punishment diet their cases shall be dealt with by a committee formed from boards of guardians throughout the country, the various clerks of the unions concerned to be present to hear the evidence and statements of the inmates, and records of punishments to be kept in a book by the clerk to each board; and whether he will take steps to issue an Order that every inmate of a workhouse who is taken before a bench of justices or to Quarter Sessions for any offence be defended by a solicitor in order that the hardship may be removed of poor people, unskilled in legal matters, having to contend with highly-trained officials?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELThe answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. The establishment of a National Committee to review all cases of punishment does not appear to be practicable. An offences and punishments book is already kept by the master of each workhouse, and his power to punish an inmate is subject to regulations made by the 1473 guardians. The last part of the question should be addressed to the Home Secretary.