HL Deb 18 May 1866 vol 183 cc1143-4
THE EARL OF CARNARVON

inquired, Whether Her Majesty's Government will undertake to lay upon the table the Reports ordered by the President of the Poor Law Board to be made as to the condition of the Metropolitan Workhouse Infirmaries as soon as such Reports are completed and sent in to the Poor Law Board? He took great interest in the condition of those institutions, and in an interview he had a few weeks since with the President of the Poor Law Board he was informed that the condition of the workhouse infirmaries was most unsatisfactory. There should be no more delay than was absolutely necessary in knowing what was the character and nature of these infirmaries, and he therefore begged to put his Question to the noble Earl.

EARL GRANVILLE

said, some of the reports had been already furnished to the Poor Law Board, and it would be the duty of the Government to lay them before Parliament.

EARL FORTESCUE

said, that a year ago he protested against the care of the metropolis being considered a secondary or supplementary part of the duty of the Poor Law inspector who had charge of the Lancashire district. He was met by the assurance that everything was going on satisfactorily. But a very few weeks afterwards a series of cases of the most scandalous and disgraceful kind came in succession before the public, and it was conclusively proved that things were not going on in so satisfactory a manner as had been represented. In his belief, the metropolitan Poor Law authorities had not stimulated, rebuked, and exercised sufficient supervision over the inspectors who were nominally in charge of the metropolis. That part of the evil which had since occupied the attention of his noble Friend opposite and many other person had been caused by diminished watchfulness, which, indeed, was inevitable, because a man could not be superintending in Lancashire and London at the same time. He trusted that in future the undivided attention of at least one inspector would be given to the management of the Poor Law concerns of the metropolis.