§ Mr. ARTHUR HENDERSONasked the President of the Local Government Board if he will state what applications he has received this year for sanction to set up distress committees, and which applications were granted?
§ Mr. BURNSI presume my hon. Friend refers to the number of applications received since last season for the establishment of a distress committee. The answer is, One. This was a renewal last July of a previous application from Leigh in Lancashire. The statistics supplied in this case did not, in my opinion, warrant the establishment of a distress committee at that time.
§ Mr. HENDERSONalso asked how many distress committees under the Unemployed Workmen Act have submitted schemes for providing work during the coming winter, and how many have been sanctioned, and the estimated cost.
§ Mr. BURNSEight distress committees are in communication with the Local Government Board in reference to schemes of work to be carried out in the coming winter. In one case (West Ham) I have authorised the appropriation of an unexpended balance of £1,173 from last year's grant towards the work. Estimates of the cost have not yet been supplied in all cases, but, so far as they have been received, they amount to about £21,000. The Central (Unemployed) Body have submitted estimates for works amounting to £12,775, and grants to the extent of £7,670 have already been made. This is exclusive of expenditure upon the Hollesley Bay colony and on women's workrooms.
§ Mr. A. HENDERSONasked the Prime Minister whether the Order issued last autumn relaxing certain of the regulations for administering the Unemployed Workmen Act will continue in operation during the coming winter?
§ The PRIME MINISTER (Mr. Asquith)Yes, Sir; the answer is in the affirmative.
§ Mr. A. HENDERSONasked the Prime Minister, in view of the amount of unemployment, and especially having regard to the prolonged period during which many people have suffered in consequence, whether he will state what steps the Government propose to take for meeting the difficulty during the coming winter?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe Government have passed through Parliament the Bill for the Labour Exchanges Act and are engaged in bringing it into operation. Further, the Unemployed Workmen Act has been included in the Expiring Laws Continuance Bill with a view to its being continued in force for another year, and the Government have obtained from Parliament a Vote of £200,000 towards the expenses incurred by the local bodies under it in providing useful work. The Local Government Board are ready to consider any suitable schemes of work proposed by these bodies where there is, or is likely to be, exceptional distress. They have been in communication with some of them, and in particular with the Central (Unemployed) Body for London, to whom some payments have already been made. The Government will carefully watch the course of events in regard to all these matters.
§ Mr. J. WARDAre we to understand therefore that the whole of the grant this year and the operations under this Act will be reduced by £100,000 from £300,000 last year?
§ The PRIME MINISTERNo, Sir; the present proposal is £200,000; but, as the hon. Member will remember, I said the Government will carefully watch the course of events.
§ Mr. W. THORNEIn the event of the £200,000 being used up, will there be a chance of making a supplementary grant?
§ The PRIME MINISTERYes, I have said so. We shall carefully watch the course of events.