§ 85 and 86. Captain BOURNEasked the Minister of Health (1) if he will direct the guardians of the 88 casual wards in England and Wales (excluding London and Monmouth) where, according to the official survey, night-clothing was not provided for women, to provide right-clothing and to take away the inmates' clothing after admission, drying or disinfecting them if necessary;
§ (2) whether in the case of the 14 casual wards, namely, Elham, Ringwood, Whitchurch (Hants), Edmonton, Northampton, Wilton, Bridport, Shaftesbury, Wellington (Salop), Seisdon, Lichfield, Garstang, 643 Saddleworth and Settle, where the women were, according to the official survey, required to sleep on planks, such planks had been approved by the local government board as proper sleeping accommodation in accordance with Article 14 of the Casual Paupers Regulations of 1882: and, if so, will he state the dates of the approval and will take steps to see that the guardians provide better accommodation in these cases?
§ Sir K. WOODAs has already been stated in reply to similar questions, my right hon. Friend is pressing for the improvement of the defects in the casual wards in so far as they have not already been corrected by the guardians since the date of the survey. No approval of the use of planks as proper sleeping-accommodation for women has been given by my right hon. Friend or his predecessors.