§ 45. Mr. CURRIEasked the Prime Minister whether His Majesty's Government will afford temporary assistance to hospitals and institutions which have at their disposal facilities for caring for foundling children so as to guard against the risk of hastily prepared measures in this direction in the absence of authoritative information?
§ The PRESIDENT of the LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. Herbert Samuel)My right hon. Friend has asked me to reply to this questoin. The information which has reachel me from a number of different sources leads me to believe that the problem will be found to be much smaller than has been suggested, and I doubt whether action on the lines proposed would be necessary or advisable. It is, of course, most important that infants should not be separated from their mothers, and I should hope that the number of foundling children would be very small indeed. I may add that the Local Government Board are prepared to 1256 receive applications for Grants in aid of maternity centres.