§ LORD LAMINGTONMy Lords, in view of a Bill that may probably come before your Lordships, I beg to ask His Majesty's Government whether the Local Government Board will lay on the Table a Return from the Boards of Guardians in England and Wales, or from any large numbers of such Boards as are fairly representative of unions which differ in administrative and social conditions, showing in how many instances during any half-year or quarter of a year, in cases of members of friendly societies, otherwise in their opinion entitled to relief out of the poor rates, the Boards of Guardians have acted upon the discretion 50 allowed them under 57 & 58 Vict., c. 25 (1894), and have taken into consideration the amount which may be received by such members from the friendly societies to which they belong, and in how many instances they have not taken this into consideration.
LORD KENYONI regret to have to inform the noble Lord that the Local Government Board have no information which would enable them to give the Return for which he asks.
§ LORD LAMINGTONWould it not be possible to get the information?