§ Sir C. OMANasked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been called to a Report of the Committee of the Metropolitan Asylums Board, which was adopted by that Board in July last, recommending that, subject to his sanction, the inmates of the casual wards be allowed two hours of the allotted task time each day to do their own washing and mending; whether he has given his sanction; and whether he has or would give his sanction to like encouragement to cleanliness in casual wards outside the Metropolis?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINI am aware of the recommendation to which my hon. Friend refers, and I understand that the Managers of the Asylums Board are making tentative and experimental arrangements with a view to testing the proposal. Pending the receipt of a report upon these tentative arrangements, I am not prepared to consider any formal approval of the proposals. Facilities for washing and mending clothes are generally afforded to the casual paupers under existing arrangements.