NEW CLAUSE.—(Construction of Paragraph (b) of Sub-section (1) of Section 2 of the Principal Act.) (Hansard, 11 May 1916)

§ Mr. ELLIS GRIFFITH

I do not know whether it is convenient to discuss this matter now. I move, "That this Clause be read a second time," in order that the Government may have an opportunity of explaining what provision is going to be made for those whose financial position is affected by this Bill? I think the last new Clause showed the necessity of having the information before the Committee stage, because the position of the men referred to 1093 by the hon. Member for Poplar (Mr. Yeo) is very much affected, of course, by what financial guarantees were given by the Government to the men affected in the way he describes. We should be in a very much better position to come to a conclusion on the last new Clause if we really had these matters before us, and I think we ought to have been in possession of them before discussing the Committee stage of this Bill. I understand the difficulties, but the question has been before the Government for four, five, or six months, and it is high time we had some definite information on these matters. At this late hour I do not suppose it would be convenient for my right hon. Friend to go into this question at length, and if it be a convenient course, I suggest putting down this Amendment for the Report stage, by which time the Government may find it possible to tell us really what provision they are going to make in cases of this kind, whether it is to be for rent, insurance or rates, and whether they are going to limit it to the £104 a year which has been indicated in the Press. Perhaps the Government will say what line they would like me to take, but I submit that before this Bill leaves the House of Commons we ought to be put in full possession of these new financial proposals.

§ Sir G. CAVE

I do not think my right hon. and learned Friend intends really to press this Amendment. What he desires is some statement. I do not think this would be a convenient time at which to make a detailed statement on the matter. I will just say this as a Member of the Committee dealing with the question, that the Committee which was constituted not very long ago has been working very hard on the subject and has made very great progress. The whole line of action has been laid down, and the forms are practically complete. The matter is in the printer's hands and the Committee are hoping to make an announcement and to issue a number of documents at a very early date indeed. Whether it would be possible to make a detailed statement on the Report stage of this Bill I am not quite sure. I will ask my right hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary to the Local Government Board, who is Chairman of the Committee, to consider that matter. I am quite sure he will do everything he can in that direction. If it is not possible to make a statement then it will be made at the earliest possible moment. I do say this for the benefit of 1094 my hon. Friend the Member for Poplar (Mr. Yeo): I do not think he has the right to suggest or assume that the feeling for these men is not as strong on this Bench as on any other Bench. We are not in the least influenced by that kind of language, but by the conviction which we hold ourselves as strongly as any other Members—and with as full a knowledge as any other Members—of the very real hardship to the class to which my hon. Friend has referred. What we are doing is being done in the greatest sincerity and with the greatest desire to make it effective.