§ Mr. BENNETTasked the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been called to Dr. M'Vail's statements, at page 59 of his Report, to the Poor Law Commissioners, that, in some unions, married women who are ill and need relief in the workhouse infirmary are unable to obtain it unless the husband himself comes into the workhouse, because the guardians believe that they cannot legally admit a wife without a husband; whether he had noticed Case 14 at the same page, where the guardians believed that they could not take into the workhouse a mother and three children who were suffering from itch unless the father (who was free from that complaint) came in also; and whether he will send a circular to the Poor Law inspectors and guardians informing them that married women and children who are destitute of the medical attendance, nursing, and accommodation requisite for their condition of illness may legally be admitted to the workhouse infirmary without the husband or father coming into the workhouse?
§ Mr. BURNSIn poor law unions, in which the Outdoor Relief Prohibitory Order is in force, an able-bodied person requiring relief must be relieved in the workhouse, together with such of the family of such person as may be resident with him or her, and may not be in employment. This rule, however, is subject to exceptions in certain cases, one of which is where the person requires relief on account of any sickness, accident, or bodily or mental infirmity affecting such person or any of his or her family. The inspectors are well aware of the law on this point, and I have no reason to suppose that guardians and their officers generally are not acquainted with it. I will, however, instruct the inspectors in their communications with the guardians and their officers to bear the matter in mind, and to remove any misapprehension which they may find to exist with regard to it.