§ Mr. THURTLEasked the Minister of Health the number of cases of relief dealt with by the Shoreditch Board of Guardians in the 12 months ended 30th September last; and in how many of these cases his special representative, who has been investigating the work of this board, found specific ground for complaint?
1191W
§ Sir K. WOODThe precise information desired by the hon. Member is not available, but the statistics show that one in 12 of the population in this union is in receipt of relief, that approximately 3,000 cases comprising some 7,500 persons are receiving outdoor relief, and that in June last 56 per cent. of the able-bodied persons in receipt of relief had been a charge on the union for over a year, and more than 10 per cent. had been chargeable for over four years. These particulars in themselves indicate that the administration of the union calls for careful review, and in the Report made by the officer of my Department which has been sent to the guardians, attention has been called to a number of points which require careful consideration. Only a small number of case papers were examined, and my right hon. Friend cannot say how many of these, or of those not examined, afford specific ground for complaint, but particulars of seven cases visited in one day were attached to the Report.