§ 22. Mr. SULLIVANasked the First Commissioner of Works, as representing the Secretary for Scotland, what is the total sum paid by parish councils in Scotland to unemployed; and what is the increase in the poor rate consequent on the payment made to able-bodied men and women?
§ Sir J. BAIRDThe amount of expenditure incurred by parish councils in Scotland in affording relief to destitute able-bodied unemployed persons up to the 2nd instant was approximately £1,650,000. This amount, if distributed equally over the industrial parishes affected, would represent a rate of approximately 1s. 3d. in the £ on the aggregate gross rental of these parishes. It is not, however, possible to state what is the actual increase over all in the poor rate consequent on this expenditure, as this rate is levied not on gross rental, but on a figure arrived at after making deductions, the amount of which varies in the different parishes. It should, however, be kept in view, that parish councils will not require to assess for the whole of this expenditure during the current year as the greater part of the expenditure is being met by loans repayable over a term of years raised under the Poor Law Emergency Provisions (Scotland) Act, 1921. The burden will therefore be spread over a number of years.
§ Mr. SULLIVANDoes the right hon. Baronet consider it fair that one parish should be paying 1d. or 2d. in the £ a year, while another is paying 15s.?
§ Mr. BUCHANANWill the Government take steps to see that the burden placed on the poorer areas, as against well-to-do areas, is put on something like an equality?
§ Mr. SULLIVANI want an answer to my question.
§ Sir J. BAIRDI gave the hon. Member a very full answer to his question. As regards the other point, it is a very much larger question than is raised by the question on the Paper.
§ Mr. SULLIVANIs the right hon. Baronet aware that people drawing unemployment insurance benefit, when they are compelled to go wholly on the parish, fall out of benefit?
§ Sir J. BAIRDSurely that is a much wider question than the question down on the Paper? If the hon. Member will put it on the Paper, I will endeavour to answer him.