§ 97. Major PRESCOTTasked the President of the Local Government Board whether he is in a position to announce the total estimated cost of works of public utility, apart from housing schemes, proposed to be commenced within the next three months by county and local authorities; and whether he can say to what extent the proposed new works will relieve the necessities of the unemployed?
§ Dr. ADDISONI am afraid I cannot give the information ased for, but inspectors of the Local Government Board have visited more than 700 local authorities' areas, and have reported to me that works the cost of which is estimated at nearly £2,000,000 are already in progress, and that, exclusive of housing, works estimated to cost a further sum exceeding £14,000,000 have been fully authorised, and the local authorities concerned are disposed to proceed with them. It is not certain that these, or even the greater part of them, will be begun within three months from this date, but many of them are to be put in hand as soon as arrangements for doing so can be made. The proposals submitted have been carefully classified, and the local authorities are being urged to undertake forthwith such works as appear likely to afford a maximum of employment at an early date.