§ MR. KEIR HARDIEI beg to ask the Lord-Advocate whether he is aware that the City of Glasgow expended £12,000 during the past winter in finding work for the unemployed of the city and whether, seeing that neither under the Poor Law of Scotland nor under the Municipal Acts has any public authority power to deal with or give relief to the able-bodied unemployed, and that the unemployed difficulty is becoming increasingly serious in Scotland, he proposes by the appointment of a special Committee or otherwise to inquire into the amendments required in the law to confer powers upon the local authorities for dealing with unemployment, as is proposed to be done 1245 for England and Wales in the Bill now before the House.
THE LORD-ADVOCATE (Mr. SCOTT DICKSON,) Glasgow, BridgtonI am aware of the facts referred to by the hon. Member in the first part of the Question. The whole matter is having the attention of the Secretary for Scotland, but I cannot at present make any definite statement as to the course which is to be taken.