THE EARL OF SANDWICHasked the Lord President, Whether it was intended that disused prisons should be converted into Lunatic Asylums?
THE DUKE OF RICHMOND and GORDONsaid, he rather doubted whether a prison was likely to be the best description of building for conversion into a lunatic asylum. Disused prisons, which were the property of the county, might be put to any use which the county might wish. If his noble Friend wished to know whether the Government were prepared to hand over without payment disused prisons in order that they might be converted into lunatic asylums, his answer must be that the Government were not prepared to do so.
§ EARL COWPERsaid, the whole question of the management of lunatic asylums required consideration. If the Government were to take over the control of them, it would ensure regularity of treatment all over the country, which would be a great advantage. It was very desirable to relieve the local authorities of the management of lunatic asylums, as they had been relieved of the management of prisons, and that these institutions should be managed on a uniform system, and under the control of a central authority. Nothing was more disagreeable to county magistrates than their duties in connection with these asylums, as they were exposed to Government officers coming down and ordering all sorts of improve- 1846 ments at great expense, which the magistrates had the odium of carrying out.
THE EARL OF SANDWICHexpressed his belief that before long the Government must take the lunatic asylums under their own charge.