§ Mr. HOUSTONasked the President of the Local Government Board whether he is aware that a medical man has testified at a public lecture, given by him in Liverpool, that he had knowledge of sixteen feeble-minded women having, from time to time, become, collectively, the mothers of over 100 illegitimate children thereby increasing pauperism, vice, and crime, and entailing great cost upon the ratepayers; and what action he proposes to take to remedy this evil?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI have no knowledge of the lecture referred to; but the considerations mentioned in the question have frequently been brought before me, and I am deeply impressed with their importance.
§ Mr. HOUSTONasked the President of the Local Government Board whether, with the eugenic object of preventing the degeneracy and decadence of the people of this country by the propagation of imbecilic, weakly, and diseased children, he will introduce legislation to segregate in separate places imbecilic males and females and those suffering from incurable transmittable and hereditary diseases, or such other drastic measures as may be found possible having the same object; and whether he will state the character and nature of such legislative measures?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLAs I stated in reply to a question on 24th April, I am not wholly without hope of being able to introduce a Bill on the subject of the feebleminded this Session. A Bill is in preparation, but I am not in a position to enter into details. The scope of the Bill will not extend beyond mental deficiency and possibly epilepsy.