§ 56. Mr. G. LAMBERTasked the President of the Local Government Board if his attention has been directed to the fact that certain boards of guardians are reducing out-relief to old and infirm parents on account of allowances made by sons now fighting at the front from their Army pay; and whether he will issue regulations forbidding this practice?
§ Mr. LONGThe power of a board of guardians is restricted to the relief of destitution, and in arriving at a decision whether an applicant is eligible for poor relief it is their duty to take into account all the means of support possessed by or available for the applicant, from whatever source such means of support may be derived. The only exceptions to this rule recognised by law are the case of relief to a person in receipt of benefit from a friendly society and the case of relief to a person in receipt of or entitled to any benefit under the Natianal Insurance Act, and in both these cases a board of guardians is still bound to take into consideration any benefit which exceeds 5s. a week. No instructions which I could issue would make it lawful for the guardians to give relief in cases in which relief is not in fact necessary to remove destitution.