§ 27. Mr. BRIDGEMANasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will say how many districts there are where the sum saved to the agricultural ratepayer through the Old Age Pensions Act amounts to 6d. in the £and if he will 1794 give the names of those districts and state, respectively, what rates have been levied before and after the passing of the Act by the boards of guardians?
§ Mr. MASTERMANI am informed that the returns from 281 of the unions in England and Wales have so far been received by the Local Government Board and tabulated for the year 1911–12, the first complete year after the removal of the pauper disqualification. The entries as to rates in the £ for the general expenses of these 281 unions have been compared with the corresponding figures for 1909–10. In twenty-nine cases these rates are less than in 1909–10 by 6d. in the £or more. In seven of these cases a decrease equivalent to 6d. in the £or more is accounted for by a reduction in the cost of out-relief alone, and this reduction is in large measure due to the removal of the pauper disqualification. With the hon. Member's permission, I will have circulated with the Votes a list of the names of these seven unions and the amount of rates levied in them for the years 1909–10 and 1911–12, respectively.—[See Written Answers this Date.]