§ Mr. GOULDINGasked the President of the Local Government Board in how many workhouses in England and Wales stone-breaking, stone-pounding, oakum picking, and corn grinding, respectively are the tasks prescribed for able-bodied men who, rendered destitute by lack of work, illness, or similar causes, are forced to enter the workhouses as a condition of relief to themselves and their families?
§ Mr. BURNSAs the sanction of the Local Government Board is not required to particular tasks of work for the inmates of workhouses, I cannot give the number of workhouses in which the tasks referred to in the question are prescribed, but according to my information the more usual task at the present time is employment on the land. It need hardly be said that persons rendered destitute through their own illness would not be employed, if sick, in tasks of this nature. The Board have for many years discouraged oakum picking as a task for workhouse inmates.