§ Mr. Keelingasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many boys and how many girls over 17 years old are in the voluntary charitable 445W homes registered at the Home Office; for what purpose they are there and what work they perform; and whether they receive wages in accordance with the recommendations of the Hetherington Committee.
§ Mr. H. MorrisonThe voluntary homes required to send particulars to the Home Office are those which maintain children and young persons under 17, but according to the returns furnished last year there were in these homes 4,436 girls aged 17 or over. These figures include some who are physically defective, others who are educable mental defectives, and others who go out to work as wage earners. They also include a number who are engaged in domestic work or laundry work in the homes. These, for the most part, will be in homes for adolescent girls to which they are admitted for training. Much of the work therefore forms part of the girls' training. The returns furnished to me do not contain information as to the wages paid for work of this character.