§ Mr. A. HENDERSONasked the Pensions Minister whether his attention has been drawn to reports of proceedings against the proprietors of a hoarding institution at Croydon for neglecting children entrusted to them; whether such children were orphans of men killed in the War and, if so, can he state the number; what pensions are being paid in respect of their maintenance; whether the premises had been inspected by an inspector of the Ministry; and whether a general register is kept of all institutions and schools in which children of ex-Service men who have died is kept by the Department?
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§ Sir J. CRAIGMy right hon. Friends attention has been dram n to the reports of the proceedings referred to. The, Ministry of Pensions have recognisance of three of the children at the school in question whose pensions they were administering. The mother of these children had herself selected this school for them. Pension is payable in respect of them at the motherless rates for officers' Children, namely, £40 for the first and £35 for each of the others, with a bonus of 20 per cent. These premises had not been inspected by an inspector of the Ministry, but the arrangements which it has recently become possible to make for the general supervision of motherless children of deceased and serving officers and men will include the inspection of the institutions and schools in which they are placed, and the necessary- records will be kept to enable this to be done.