§ Mr. TOUCHEasked the President of the Local Government Board if he can say whether the Government intends to introduce any further legislation this Session to deal with the problem of unemployment?
§ The PRESIDENT of the LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. Burns)The answer is in the negative.
§ Mr. TOUCHEasked whether any and, if so, what sums of money authorised for the purposes of the Central Unemployed Authority have been withheld from expenditure by that body during each of the last three years?
§ Mr. BURNSAll the sums advanced to the Central Unemployed Body for London during the last three years have, I understand, been expended. There have no doubt been unexpended balances in the hands of the Central Body from time to time, but these have been utilised as occasion arose.
§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEHow many applications have been made to the right hon. Gentleman, and how many Grants has he had the opportunity of refusing?
§ Mr. TOUCHEasked whether any, and, if so, what schemes of work submitted by the Central Unemployed Authority during the last three years have been refused sanction by the Local Government Board; and the reason for such refusal?
§ Mr. BURNSUnder the Unemployed Workmen Act, 1905, the Central Unemployed Body for London are empowered in any case of an unemployed person referred to them by a distress committee to assist that person by providing or contributing to the provision of temporary work, and no sanction on the part of the Board 727 is necessary to the exercise of these powers. It has not, of course, been possible for me to aid out of the Parliamentary Grant all the schemes submitted to me by the Central Unemployed Body, but I have endeavoured generally to assist those schemes which will provide the maximum of work for the largest number of persons, without displacing the regular worker.