§ Sir GEORGE YOUNGERI beg, in accordance with private notice, to ask the Secretary for Scotland whether the Regulations required to be made under the Lunacy and Mental Deficiency Act have yet been prepared; if not, when these may be expected to reach the local authorities, and why they were not issued before the Act came into force on the 15th instant?
Mr. McKINNON WOODRegulations under the Act referred to by the hon. Baronet have been prepared, and will be submitted for my approval directly after the first meeting of the General Board of 1782 Control for Scotland, which is to be held to-morrow. I regret that these Regulations have not been issued sooner, but they will be laid before Parliament during the present week.
§ Sir G. YOUNGERDoes the right hon. Gentleman realise that everything for the moment is stopped for want of these Regulations? Is it not possible for him, under these circumstances, to persuade the Prime Minister to help him to increase the staff at his office, which is at present very much understaffed?
Mr. McKINNON WOODUnfortunately, my Under-Secretary has been laid up for some months. But these Regulations really depend on the Board of Control rather than on the Scottish Office. The new Board consists partly of new members, and the additional work, too, has been heavy.