§ 37. Sir WALTER de FRECEasked the Minister of Health how many local authorities, guardians and municipal, have, so 1443 far as his information goes, been notified by the banks that the latter cannot permit any more overdrafts; whether he will give the names of each such authority and the poor and general rate in each respective case; and has he any evidence to the effect that the rates are being unduly kept down to relieve the ratepayers and in the hope that more State assistance will be forthcoming?
§ Sir A. MONDThe number of such, cases within my knowledge is quite small. I am sending the hon. Member a note of the particulars he desires. I think it is possible that in some cases the hope of a State grant has led to a reduction of the amounts raised by rates and so to an increase of temporary borrowing.