§ MR. THORNE (West Ham, S.)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether, in view of the fact that the appeal for funds issued 38 by the Central (Unemployed) Body for London, as well as those sent out by other distress committees, have been in-effectual in consequence of there being a balance of the £200,000 Grant still remaining in the hands of his Department, he will consider the advisability of disbursing that balance in grants to the various committees in order that they may do the work they were appointed to do but which they are now prevented from doing by want of means.
§ MR. JOHN BURNSIf the distress committee of any district in which there is exceptional distress apply to me at once for a payment out of the Grant, and submit a definite scheme of useful work, I shall be prepared to consider it; but I could not undertake to distribute the balance of the Grant amongst the committees generally.