§ Mr. GROVES(by Private Notice) asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that the Goschen Committee has refused a loan to the West Ham Board 1726 of Guardians, and, owing to this refusal, 61,585 persons will be without sustenance on Tuesday next, and whether he is aware of the feeling in this area, and what action he proposes to take to deal with such a grave position?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINIt is a fact that the West Ham Guardians have applied for a further loan and that the Committee referred to have recommended that certain conditions shall be attached to that loan. One of these conditions has been accepted by the guardians, and I am in correspondence with them about the remainder. I have no reason to suppose that the position on Tuesday next will be as the hon. Member alleges,
§ Mr. GROVESMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he is not aware that at a meeting of the West Ham Board of Guardians to-day it was decided to reject the proposals made by the Goschen Committee.
§ Mr. GROVESThere was a public meeting held to-day. Is he aware that the guardians have rejected the proposals? Therefore, a state of unrest exists in our area, and what does he propose to do?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINThe hon. Gentleman can hardly expect me to be aware of what took place this morning at the board of guardians. I am awaiting an answer to the communication that I have addressed to the guardians.
§ Mr. GROVESIn view of the fact that the answer will be "No." [HON. MEMBERS: "Oh, oh! "] Mr. Speaker, I know there has been a meeting, because I attended it, and I can state that the answer will be "No." In view of that position, as I have put it in my question, I should like to ask the right hon. Gentleman what he is prepared to do in view of the real state of unrest in West Ham?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINI am awaiting a reply to the further communication that I have addressed to the guardians.
§ Mr. LANSBURYIs it not a fact that the right hon. Gentleman himself, through his Department, is bringing pressure to bear upon the West Ham board of guardians to do something which 1727 his Department has no legal power to do, except by means of preventing them getting the loan, and that it is a matter of attempting to impose a scale upon the board of guardians which the right hon. Gentleman has no legal right to do, and which his Department is only trying to do through pressure?
§ Mr. LANSBURYIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that yesterday the Under-Secretary stated that the Minister had no power to fix a scale at all, and how can he reconcile with that statement the statement he has just now made?