§ Mr. SITCHasked the Minister of Health if he is aware of the distance of the neighbouring casual wards from Lichfield, and the number of miles a destitute wayfaring man or woman has now to walk from one ward to another in consequence of the Lichfield ward being closed; and has he received any representation or complaint from any neighbouring board of guardians as to the closure of the Lichfield ward?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. I have received no representation or complaint as to the closing of the Lichfield wards.
§ Mr. R. RICHARDSONasked the Minister of Health why and when the Lichfield casual ward was closed; whether the closure was due to the application of the guardians and, if so, will he state what representations they made; what accommodation do the Lichfield guardians now provide for poor necessitous wayfarers entitled to relief under 43 Eliz., c. 2, and whether in the workhouse or in common lodging-houses; what provision have they made for midday meals or food tickets, as required by the Regulation of 1914; and, if Lichfield ward was included in the official survey, what, if any, deficiencies were discovered or, if it was closed before the survey, what, if any, deficiencies it had which were known to the Ministry?
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Mr. CHAMBERLAINI approved of the closing of the Lichfield casual ward for an experimental period of six months as from the 1st January, 1925. Mc application for my approval was made by the Staffordshire Joint Vagrancy Committee with, I presume, the concurrence of the board of guardians, who have made no direct representations to me on the matter. The closure of the wards has been notified throughout the county. I am in communication with the guardians as to the arrangements for dealing with such applications for relief as, notwithstanding this notice, are made to them by casuals, and will let the hon. Member know the result. But I have no reason to suppose that there is any failure on the part of the guardians to provide such relief and to provide the prescribed midday meals on discharge. The only deficiencies reported in the Lichfield ward when the survey of casual wards was made were the absence of wash basins and the absence of a day room for women casuals. The number of women casuals entering the ward did not, however, exceed one per day.