§ MR. J. JOHNSON (Gateshead)To ask the President of the Local Government Board whether the Gateshead District Committee (statutory) has applied to the Local Government Board for a grant to carry out a scheme or schemes in order to cope with the present local unemployment and distress; if so, what was the nature of the reply; and is there at present any application under consideration by the Board.
(Answered by Mr. John Burns.) The distress committee have applied to me for a grant to enable them to assist genuine cases of distress, but they have not submitted any scheme for providing work for the unemployed. I have stated that if they submit a scheme of useful work and furnish certain particulars for which I have asked I am ready to consider their application for a grant.