HC Deb 18 December 1906 vol 167 cc1276-8
MR. KEIR HARDIE

I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether his Department on 12th October refused to make a grant to the Swansea Distress Committee, and informed that body that if it anticipated that it would be requisite to provide temporary work during the forthcoming winter, it must rely upon voluntary contributions for meeting the cost, and in that case every effort should be made by means of public appeals and otherwise to obtain the contributions required; and, if so, whether, with a view to encourage local contributions, he is now prepared to make a grant to Swansea and other distress committees similarly circumstanced.

THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. John Burns, Battersea)

The first part of the Question appears to refer to a circular which I sent to some of the distress committees, including that for Swansea, on the 12th October last, in which I stated that on the information before me I did not propose to make any payment to them out of the grant. I have not since received any communication from the Swansea Distress Committee. The object of the grant is not that a payment should be made out of it to every distress committee, but to enable this to be done in those localities in which the need for assistance in providing or contributing to the provision of temporary work is of a clearly exceptional character. It is only where this is the case that I am prepared to consider an application for a share of the grant.

MR. KEIR HARDIE

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that in Swansea there are 800 unemployed men on the register, that there are no local funds to deal with them, and that unless a grant is made nothing can be done for these destitute workmen?

MR. JOHN BURNS

I shall be pleased of course to receive any application from the Swansea Distress Committee, and it should not only embody the number of unemployed on the register, but indicate any useful works of public utility upon which they could be employed. I can assure the hon. Member the letter will be promptly answered.

MR. J. WARD

Has the right hon. Gentleman received any complaint from the Local Distress Committee as to the action of a contractor in the locality in advertising for men when he has no work to give them, thereby increasing the distress there?

MR. JOHN BURNS

I am sorry to hear that any contractor should have done that. I have received no communication on the subject.