§ Mr. R. RICHARDSONasked the Minister of Health whether he has seen a report of an inquest on William Harvey, who died at the Lewes Guardians' casual ward at Chailey; whether he is aware that this man was aged 62 years and was admitted on Saturday evening and died early on Monday morning, 4th December; that he became ill at about 1.30 a.m. and a fellow casual rang the bell for the porter in vain; that the ward was unheated and the occupants slept on a wooden floor with four blankets each; that the doctor giving evidence would not say that death was accelerated by the treatment, but expressed the opinion that the sanitary arrangement in the cells was bad; that the coroner expressed disapproval of the men having to sleep on the floor, of there being no warmth, and of the men being locked in; whether, at the official survey made in 1923–24, the Chailey male casual ward was then unheated; will he say who is the Poor Law inspector of the district; and whether he will forthwith send a medical inspector to visit and report upon this ward?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINThe suggestions made in the question in regard to this case do not entirely agree with the information in my possession, but I am 565W making some further inquiries before sending the hon. Member a full reply. As I stated in reply to a previous question in connection with this case, steps are being taken by the guardians with a view to making other arrangements in case of pressure in this ward.