HC Deb 28 February 1911 vol 22 cc194-6
Mr. MORRELL

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether he had received any further representations as to the proposed new Poor Law Order; and whether he could yet undertake that the Order would not be issued until this House had had an opportunity of discussing it?

Mr. LANSBURY

asked the right hon. Gentleman if he is now able to state that, before issuing the new Order suggested by his Departmental Committee on Outdoor Relief, or any amendment of the same, he will give the House of Commons an opportunity to express an opinion on such Order?

Mr. DAWES

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether the replies he has received from boards of guardians and other interested bodies relative to the proposed new Poor Law Order are not in the main unfavourable to its issue; and whether he will give a definite assurance that the Order will not be put into force until this House has had an opportunity of debating the matter?

Mr. BURNS

I have received about eighty further resolutions on this subject from branches of the Independent Labour Party, Trades and Labour Councils, and similar bodies, and between thirty and forty representations from Boards of Guardians. A large proportion of the latter suggest postponement of the issue of the Order until the views of the Poor Law Unions Association have been obtained, and others criticise particular points in the draft Order. As regards the last part of the question, I would refer to my reply to hon. Members on the 13th instant.

Mr. MORRELL

Are we to understand that this Order will be issued without giving this House an opportunity of discussing it?

Mr. BURNS

No, the hon. Member is not entitled to assume that. It is premature either to ask or put that question until the Poor Law Unions Association, which have a right to be heard, have their special conference on this subject on 23rd March next?

Mr. LANSBURY

Are the Poor Law Unions Association of more importance than this House? We have asked the right hon. Gentleman at least six times to give us a straight answer to a straight question, and we are entitled to have an answer. [HON. MEMBERS: "Order."] There is no order about it.

Mr. SPEAKER

The hon. Member is not entitled to make observations at this period. He may make them later, but he is only entitled now to put a question.

Mr. LANSBURY

May I put a question to you very respectfully. I myself have asked three times, and other Members have asked equally as many times this one question whether the House will be given an opportunity of discussing this circular or not? We cannot get a straight answer to that question. I do not want to know about the Poor Law Unions Association.

Mr. SPEAKER

The hon. Member is very lucky to have only put the question three times.

Mr. LANSBURY

I am not equally lucky, Sir, in getting an answer.