§ Mr. SHORTasked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the fact that the Committee appointed to consider the administration of the lunatic asylums is predominantly representative of medical superintendents, the inefficiency of whose administration is the question to be inquired into, he will favourably consider strengthening the Committee by the addition of representatives of the general public and of the Asylum Workers' Union?
§ Sir A. MONDThe hon. Member is under a misapprehension. The Committee in question is appointed to consider charges made by Dr. Lomax and not the general question of asylum administration. Neither of the medical members of the Committee has ever been associated with an asylum provided by a local authority. It would merely prolong the inquiry to add persons with no previous experience of asylum administration, and as regards the Asylum Workers' Union, while I regret their refusal to give evidence, I am unable to regard this as a reason for appointing to the Committee a representative of a class directly incriminated by Dr. Lomax's charges.