§ Mr. CHIOZZA MONEYasked if the right hon. Gentleman is aware that local authorities are in considerable doubt as to their position in regard to the Development and Road Improvement Funds Act, 1909, particularly in reference to the nature of schemes of development under the very wide provisions of Section 1 of the Act, since they have nothing to guide them with regard to what sort of proposals would be likely to receive favourable consideration by the Commissioners and by the Treasury, and they are naturally reluctant to incur expenditure in preparing definite plans for such things as local transport improvement, land reclamation, experimental farms, and other developments obviously covered by the Act if the Commissioners have no prospect of being in a position to make a grant in the near future; and if he will therefore cause to be prepared and issued to public authorities a memorandum in explanation of the Act itself and of the nature of such national and local schemes as the Commissioners, with due regard to available funds, have in contemplation, or in connection with which they are likely to be able to give practical assistance?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEThe Chairman, Vice-Chairman and staff of the Development Commission will always be most ready to see representatives of local authorities informally on the subject of proposed applications and will give them all possible assistance and advice. Such assistance appears to me a better course to adopt than the issue of a general memorandum, which could not meet the requirements of individual proposals.