§ Mr. DEVLINasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he can state why the supple mental Grant of Is. sanctioned by the Treasury in August last for the maintenance of children in industrial and reformatory schools in Ireland has not yet been paid to these schools; will he say why this supplemental Grant is made con- 2003W ditional on receiving a similar grant from the local authorities, seeing that there is no condition attached to the ordinary Grant; can he state the average number of children maintained in these schools during the years 1914 and 1917; what was the total amount of the Grants paid to these schools during the years 1914 and 1917 from the Treasury and the local authorities, respectively; what was the cost of the food, clothing, and fuel required by these schools during the years 1914 and 1917, respectively; and, seeing that, having regard to the increased cost of living, a supplemental Grant of Is. from the Treasury and a similar grant from the local authorities is inadequate to provide for the proper maintenance and care of the children for whoso welfare the managers of these schools are responsible, will he say from what source he suggests that the managers should obtain what is required?
§ Mr. SAMUELSPayment of the additional capitation Grant of Is. a week for the maintenance of children in reformatory and industrial schools is conditional in Ireland, as in Great Britain, on payment of an equivalent contribution by the local authority. I am informed that any delay that has occurred in payment of the additional Grant is due partly to delay on the part of some local authorities in notifying their agreement to make their increased contribution, and partly to the fact that other local authorities agreed to make an increased contribution of less than 1s. a week. In the latter case Treasury authority has been obtained for payment of additional capitation Grant of correspondingly reduced amount. The comparative figures asked for by the hon. Member are as follows:
(1) The average numbers in reformatories and industrial schools during the years 1914 and 1917:
— 1914 1917 Reformatories … 674 642 Industrial Schools ' … 7,499 7,086 (2) The total amounts of the Grants paid to reformatory and industrial schools for the years 1914 and 1917 from the Treasury and from the local authorities, with the total cost of the food, clothing, and fuel, required by these schools for the same years:
2004W
— 1914 1917. £ £ Reformatories — Received from Treasury 10,575 10,398 Received from Local Authorities 5,054 5,887 (a) Coat of food 8,308 10,273 Coat of food clothing 1,900 2,299 Coat of food fuel, washing and light 1,171 1,529 Industrial Schools— Received from Treasury 97,490 96,267 Received from Local Authorities 47,449 53,528 (b) Cost of food 71,389 95,557 Coat of clothing 20,111 22,941 Coat of fuel, washing and light 15,468 19,865 (a) Including food for Officers 740 936 (b) Including food for Officers 7,935 10,195