asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he can state why the supple mental Grant of Is. sanctioned by the Treasury in August last for the maintenance of children in industrial and reformatory schools in Ireland has not yet been paid to these schools; will he say why this supplemental Grant is made con- ditional on receiving a similar grant from the local authorities, seeing that there is no condition attached to the ordinary Grant; can he state the average number of children maintained in these schools during the years 1914 and 1917; what was the total amount of the Grants paid to these schools during the years 1914 and 1917 from the Treasury and the local authorities, respectively; what was the cost of the food, clothing, and fuel required by these schools during the years 1914 and 1917, respectively; and, seeing that, having regard to the increased cost of living, a supplemental Grant of Is. from the Treasury and a similar grant from the local authorities is inadequate to provide for the proper maintenance and care of the children for whoso welfare the managers of these schools are responsible, will he say from what source he suggests that the managers should obtain what is required?
Payment of the additional capitation Grant of Is. a week for the maintenance of children in reformatory and industrial schools is conditional in Ireland, as in Great Britain, on payment of an equivalent contribution by the local authority. I am informed that any delay that has occurred in payment of the additional Grant is due partly to delay on the part of some local authorities in notifying their agreement to make their increased contribution, and partly to the fact that other local authorities agreed to make an increased contribution of less than 1s. a week. In the latter case Treasury authority has been obtained for payment of additional capitation Grant of correspondingly reduced amount. The comparative figures asked for by the hon. Member are as follows:(1) The average numbers in reformatories and industrial schools during the years 1914 and 1917:
— | 1914 | 1917 | |
Reformatories | … | 674 | 642 |
Industrial Schools ' | … | 7,499 | 7,086 |
— | 1914 | 1917. |
£ | £ | |
Reformatories — | ||
Received from Treasury | 10,575 | 10,398 |
Received from Local Authorities | 5,054 | 5,887 |
(a) Coat of food | 8,308 | 10,273 |
Coat of food clothing | 1,900 | 2,299 |
Coat of food fuel, washing and light | 1,171 | 1,529 |
Industrial Schools— | ||
Received from Treasury | 97,490 | 96,267 |
Received from Local Authorities | 47,449 | 53,528 |
(b) Cost of food | 71,389 | 95,557 |
Coat of clothing | 20,111 | 22,941 |
Coat of fuel, washing and light | 15,468 | 19,865 |
(a) Including food for Officers | 740 | 936 |
(b) Including food for Officers | 7,935 | 10,195 |