§ MR. BARNESI beg to ask the Secretary for Scotland if he is aware that the City of Glasgow had raised more money locally for the relief of unemployment than any other city in the United Kingdom, and, if the money advanced from the local common good fund were included, more than the whole of such other cities; and whether, having regard to that fact, and the further fact that unemployment is more prevalent there than for many years, he will assist, by all the means in his power, in making provision for approved schemes of employment.
§ MR. SINCLAIRI am aware that considerable sums have been raised in Glasgow for relief but am not able to give my hon. friend full comparative details with other cities. When funds are placed by Parliament at the disposal of the Government the circumstances prevalent in Glasgow will be fully considered.
§ MR. WATT (Glasgow, College)Did the circulars of the Local Government Board give the distress committees to understand that funds would be forthcoming throughout the summer?
§ MR. SINCLAIRNo; they were simply a notification of how the Act should be administered, and nothing more could be deduced from them.
§ MR. BARNESWhen will more money be available?
§ MR. SINCLAIRThere is a Question on the Paper as to that.
§ MR. CLELANDI beg to ask the Secretary for Scotland whether, up to the 1729 present, the City of Glasgow has raised and contributed locally a larger sum towards the operations of the local distress committee than it has received in the shape of grants from the Local Government Board; whether other places in Scotland have received proportionately much larger grants; and what are the reasons for such disparity in treatment.
§ MR. SINCLAIRThe facts are not in dispute for the year ending 31st March, 1908. Glasgow Distress Committee received a total of £9,647 in grants, and raised by public subscription £8,000 odd; but that latter fund was not devoted towards meeting the expenses of the distress committee, though it was applied to kindred purposes by a Special Committee.
§ MR. CLELANDI beg to ask the Secretary for Scotland whether he is aware that on 20th March the Glasgow distress committee wrote to the Local Government Board stating that the grant requested was an interim demand only, and that a further grant would be required after 31st March to carry on the operations of the committee; whether the Local Government Board informed the distress committee that after 31st March no further grants would be made until August; and, if not, why this course was not adopted.
§ MR. SINCLAIRI am aware of the correspondence which has taken place As to the latter part of the Question, I am not aware that the Local Government Board named any date when further grants would be available, but it is well known to all distress committees that the Local Government Board have no funds available for distribution after the close of the financial year on 31st March till a further grant is voted.
§ MR. CLELANDDid the Scottish Local Government Board tell the Edinburgh and Glasgow Distress Committee that if they did not apply before 31st March for an additional grant no further grant would be made? Was not that done by the English Local Government Board?
§ MR. SINCLAIRI am not sufficiently acquainted with the administration of the English Local Government Board to be able to say.
§ MR. WATTwas understood to ask whether it would not be possible for him to follow the precedent of the English Board and give grants for emigration.
§ MR. SINCLAIRIf any such request is made I will consider it.