§ VISCOUNT MIDLETONrose to call attention to the Petition of the Representatives of 32 county and five borough Asylums, against the placing of criminal lunatics in county lunatic asylums. The noble Lord said, that the practice had arisen of sending persons who became lunatics during a sentence of imprisonment to county lunatic asylums. That practice was very objectionable, because county asylums were not prisons, nor were their staff and attendants warders; but not only were criminal lunatics more dangerous than other lunatics, but their presence in ordinary asylums rendered the treatment of the other lunatics more difficult. He believed that such persons could be amply provided for in one or two prisons at the disposition of the Home Secretary—the expense, of course, to be borne by the counties. The question had been considered in France and in the United States, and the separation of these prisoners from others was indispensable. He wished to ask the Government whether they were prepared to carry out some such an arrangement as he suggested?
§ EARL BEAUCHAMPsaid, that the matter referred to by his noble Friend was of a difficult and complicated character, having to do with no fewer than 19 Acts of Parliament, and numerous local practices. There was, therefore, considerable difficulty connected with the subject; but he could assure 21 his noble Friend it had received the best attention of the Government, and reports had been asked for from persons qualified to express an opinion on the subject. The object of the Petitioners was to prevent criminal lunatics being sent to county lunatic asylums; but it should be remembered that a prisoner having undergone the punishment to which he was sentenced, and having become a lunatic, was entitled to be placed on the same footing as an ordinary lunatic. He did not propose to follow his noble Friend in the question of expense; but he was glad to hear him say that the expense of the new asylums which he contemplated would be borne by the counties. When these asylums, which would have to be constructed, were built, the question of expense would have to be considered. It was matter of great regret that some of these asylums were choked with a number of chronic lunatics. His noble Friend had spoken of classification; but the actual commission of crime, he feared, was not a sufficient test. The careful attention of the Home Secretary was being given to the subject, and he hoped the result would be some solution of one of the greatest difficulties connected with lunacy.