§ Sir RANDOLF BAKERasked the Home Secretary whether he has any figures showing? the number of vagrants relieved annually in each county of England and Wales during the past ten years; and, if so, whether he will give them?
§ Mr. BURNSMy right hon. Friend has asked me to reply to this question. The Returns of pauperism published monthly and half-yearly give information as to the number of casual poor relieved on certain days under the Poor Law, but it is not possible to state the number of individual vagrants who may receive relief in the course of a year. The total number of casual poor relieved in England and Wales on the 1st July in each of the ten years from 1902 to 1911 are as follows: 1902, 6,609; 1903, 5,121; 1904. 6,748; 1905, 8,556; 1906, 6,574; 1907, 6,997; 1908, 6,846; 1909, 9.699; 1910, 9,044; 1911, 9,000.
§ Mr. TOUCHEasked the President of the Local Government Board whether he has received a resolution passed by the 1473W guardians of the poor of the parish of St. Mary, Islington, expressing the opinion that the Local Government Board, either by promoting legislation or otherwise, should deal with the whole question of vagrancy, and that any alteration in the existing law should provide for the supervision, control, and maintenance of vagrants being handed over to the police authority; and does he see any early prospect of being able to deal with the question?
§ Mr. BURNSI have received a copy of the resolution referred to. The recommendations of the Interdepartmental Committee on Vagrancy are under the consideration of my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary and myself, but I am not in a position to promise legislation on the subject in the near future. As regards London, the hon. Member is no doubt aware that I have recently transferred the administration of the casual wards from the boards of guardians to one authority for the whole Metropolis, the Metropolitan Asylums Board.