§ MR. KEIR HARDIE (Merthyr Tydvil)I beg to ask the President of the Local 234 Government Board whether he can state the amounts expended by the Metropolitan boroughs on works for the relief of the unemployed during the year 1904; and whether he can give similar information concerning the county boroughs of England and Wales.
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. GERALD BALFOUR, Leeds, Central)I am not in possession of the information for which the hon. Member asks, but a Return was recently moved for by my hon. friend the Member for Chelsea for the purpose of showing the amount expended in wages by the Common Council of the City of London and by the councils of the metropolitan boroughs for work undertaken specially for the purpose of providing work for unemployed workmen during the six months ending on March 31st, 1905. I hope that this Return will shortly be issued.
§ MR. KEIR HARDIECan the right hon. Gentleman give any indication when we may have the Second Reading of the Unemployed Bill?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURI am afraid I am not in a position to do so.