§ MR. J. JOHNSON (Gateshead)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board if he will state the personnel of the public bodies dealing with the distress in Gateshead; and what is the scope of their operations.
I beg also to ask the President of the Local Government Board how many unemployed workmen there are in Gateshead; and what amount has been spent in relief during the present year.
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. JOHN BURNS,) BatterseaI will answer together these two Questions. The public bodies referred to are the distress committee, the board of guardians, and the town council. The names of the members of them cannot conveniently be set out in answer to a Question, but I will send a list to my hon. friend, if he desires it These bodies act within the sphere of their several functions. The clerk to the 1968 distress committee informs me that he cannot give an accurate estimate of the total number of unemployed workmen at Gateshead. He, however, states that 187 applications for employment were registered by the committee during the year ended at March last, and that 125 men have since made application to them. The total expenditure on poor relief in the Gateshead Union for the year to 25th March last was £46,600.