§ 38. Sir G. TOULMINasked the President of the Local Government Board whether he is aware that the Lampeter Board of Guardians is paying only 3s. 6d. per child per week for the maintenance of its boarded-out children; whether he will state how many boards of guardians are still paying under 5s. per week for boarded-out children; and whether he will take steps to get this inadequate allowance increased?
§ Mr. STEPHEN WALSHThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative, but I am informed by the guardians that the question of increasing the weekly allowance is to come before them at their meeting on the 1st March next. As I previously informed my hon. Friend, the Department gave a general sanction on 12th December last to the raising of the rate. of allowance to 7s. 6d. a week. No figures are available as to the number of boards of guardians granting under or over 5s., but the reports which I have received indicate that the allowances are, as a rule, adequate.
§ Sir G. TOULMINAlthough the allowances, as a rule, may be adequate, an? there not a large number that are very far from reaching 7s. 6d., and are round about 3s. 6d. per child?
§ Mr. WALSHYes, there are a large number, but the grant depends upon the 1257 circumstances of the case, and we have no power of direct interference with the authority of the guardians themselves.
§ Land Purchase (Ireland).
§ 56. Mr. LONSDALEasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if in March last year the Estates Commissioners gave an undertaking that if the sub-tenants of premises in the town of Middletown, county Armagh, comprised in the Stearne estate, could arrange to purchase the premises in their occupation from their direct landlords on terms which could be approved by the Commissioners, and if they were prepared to lodge the purchase money in cash, the Commissioners would vest the premises in the purchasers; that the subtenants in question have endeavoured, without success, to arrange terms with their direct landlords, who were able to purchase the property under the Land Purchase Act; and whether, in these circumstances, the Estates Commissioners will fix the price to be paid by the subtenants for the premises in their occupation, seeing that they have undertaken to lodge the purchase money in cash?
§ Mr. SAMUELSI would refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to a question on this subject on the 28th March last. The Estates Commissioners inform me that they are prepared to adhere to the undertaking given in March last, but if the parties concerned do not themselves come to an agreement the Commissioners are not prepared to take further action in the matter.