§ Mr. GOSLINGasked the Minister of Health what steps he has taken or intends to take to prevent boards of guardians, who are responsible for the property of the inmates of public asylums, from adopting a practice, admitted by many unions, 1486W which consists in transferring to a pauper inmate on discharge, articles of clothing, etc., belonging to other inmates who have been detained in asylums for a period exceeding four years?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINI am not aware of the existence of such a practice as is suggested, but I shall be glad to inquire into any particular case which the hon. Member has in mind.
§ Mr. GOSLINGasked the Minister of Health if he is aware that the Cobb Committee recommended that Section 79 of the Lunacy Act should be posted up in the rooms where friends come to visit pauper patients; and will he say why this has not been done, so that friends, as well as relatives, may be made aware of the rights conferred on them by the Statute?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINIn the opinion of the Board of Control there are serious objections to a general requirement that this Section should be posted up in waiting rooms. The revised Rules of the Board of Control dated 7th January, 1925, provide that
The managers of every institution for lunatics shall, on the admission of every pauper lunatic to an institution for lunatics, send a notice to all persons, whose names appear as relatives or friends of the patients on the statement of particulars accompanying a reception order, as to the times and conditions of visitation; and in such notice shall be embodied the substance of Section 79 of the Lunacy Act, 1890.