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Lords Amendment: In page 36, line 29, insert new Clause "B":
Where an officer of the council of a county or county borough with the permission of the council applies for appointment under Section one of the Lunacy Act, 1908, to exercise the powers of management of property referred to in that section, the council may defray any expenses incurred by him in connection with the application or the exercise of the said powers, in so far as those expenses are not recoverable by him from any other source.
§ Mr. BevanI beg to move, "That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said Amendment."
It is the prerogative of public assistance authorities to designate a senior officer to take charge of the possessions of a lunatic, and also to set their charges against the estate of the insane person. In the future, they will not be able to make any charges whatsoever, except in respect of the actual work they do in discharging the estate, because detention in a mental institution will be free. However, unless we put into the Bill the authority contained in the proposed new Clause, it will not be possible for a local authority to designate a senior officer to look after the estate of an insane person.
§ Question put, and agreed to.