§ Mr. LANSBURYasked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that, owing to overcrowding due to the increasing number of persons seeking shelter in casual wards, it is becoming the practice in some unions to turn out casuals on Sunday night and compel them to walk on to the next shelter; whether he is aware that during the last weeks of January, or thereabouts, men were turned out of Droxford Union casual ward in order to make room for others, and that these evicted men were forced to walk 16 miles in a heavy rainstorm to Alton casual ward in order to obtain shelter; and will he instruct boards of guardians that it is their duty to find accommodation in their institution when the casual ward is full and not to turn men out in the evening?
§ Sir K. WOODNo, Sir. There is no such practice as the hon. Member suggests, nor, according to the information in the possession of my right hon. Friend, were the casuals referred to in the second part of the question discharged on Sunday night, but in the afternoon. The guardians have informed my right hon. Friend that the incident was an isolated one due to the heavy pressure on their accommodation, and does not represent their ordinary practice. He sees no necessity for the issue of further instructions in this matter.