§ 13. Mr. HARDIEasked the Secretary of State for Scotland the number of Poor Law authorities in Scotland that have approached his Department for assistance on account of industrial depression?
§ Major ELLIOTSince 1921, 16 parish councils applied for loans from Government funds in respect of their expenditure on relief of able-bodied unemployed, and 41 parish councils applied for advances from Government funds in 1926 to enable them to continue the payment of relief to destitute dependants of 965 persons involved in the coal mining trade dispute during that year. In all cases loans or advances were granted. Grants were made to 134 parish councils under Section 2 of the Poor Law Emergency Provisions (Scotland) Act, 1927, in respect of relief afforded to destitute dependants of miners. Representations that Exchequer grants should be made to the Poor Law authorities of necessitous areas have also been received from numerous parish councils, and from associations of parish councils.