§ Mr. GROVESasked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the increase in the cost of maintenance of inmates of 267W lunatic asylums now charageable to boards of guardians and the inadequacy of the sum of 4s. per head repaid to the various unions under the Local Government Act, 1888, he will consider the introduction of legislation amending the Act in order to provide a repayment to boards of guardians of 50 per cent. of the cost incurred for the maintenance of such patients?
§ Sir K. WOODMy right hon. Friend cannot undertake to introduce legislation on this subject at the present time. The grant in question was intended to make up the difference between the cost of maintenance in asylums and in Poor Law institutions, and the latest figures show that the average cost in asylums is only £10 a year more than the average cost in Poor Law institutions.