§ 80. Mr. VIANTasked the Minister of Health whether the arrangement for allowing to casuals necessary and reasonable time for repairing and cleaning their own clothing, as well as cleaning and general labouring, to be counted as part of their task time in the casual wards under the Metropolitan Asylums Board, has been found in practice to give satisfactory results; and, if so, whether he will issue a circular recommending those responsible for the conduct of other casual wards to adopt the same arrangement?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINArrangements on the lines indicated by the hon. Member have been made by the Metropolitan Asylums Board as an experiment. These arrangements are now under review by the Managers. I am not yet able to say whether the results are such as to make it desirable to adopt the course he suggests.
§ 82. Mr. BROADasked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that the Edmonton casual words are sometimes being used for nearly four times their capacity; and what steps it is proposed to take in the matter?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINI am aware that the accommodation in these wards is being found inadequate. A scheme for the provision of further accommodation is in an advanced stage.
§ 83. Mr. BROADasked the Minister of Health what was the total number of persons in the casual wards of the Poor Law unions in England and Wales on the 31st January last; what number of these 1886 were males; and how many of them were ex-service men who had fought or served during the Great War?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINThe total number of casuals in receipt of relief in England and Wales on the night of Friday, the 28th January, 1927, was 10,610. No information is available as to the number of males or as to the number of ex-service men included in this figure. On the 1st January in each of the years 1924, 1925 and 1926, 94 per cent. of the casuals were men, but separate figures of sex are not available for the date now taken, and I cannot say bow many of the casuals were ex-service men who had fought or served during the War.
§ Mr. BROADIn view of the interest taken in homes for heroes, will the Minister endeavour to ascertain how many of these casuals are ex-service men?
§ 84. Mr. BROADasked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that the Andover Board of Guardians have publicly stated that their casual ward accommodation is inadequate to enable them to carry out the orders of the Ministry; whether this applies to other boards of guardians; and whether any, and, if so, what steps are proposed to be taken in the matter?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINI am not aware of any public statement of the Andover Guardians to the effect indicated, but I will make further inquiries. On the second and third parts of the hon. Member's question, I would refer him to the answer I gave to the bon. Member for Bristol East on the 2nd December last, a copy of which I am forwarding to him.