§ 29. Mr. GRUNDYasked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that some of the urban authorities adjacent to the large towns which have been deemed necessitous have made efforts to provide work for the unemployed, paying for the-same out of the district funds, and have also been called upon to pay a consider-ably enhanced poor rate, largely for the benefit of the unemployed in the towns; and whether these authorities will be allowed to participate in the contemplated grants to the necessitous areas?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINI am aware of the efforts made by many local authorities to provide work for the unemployed. Provision of this kind has, of course, been generally assisted by Government grants made on the recommendation of the Unemployment Grants Committee. As regards the last part of the question, I can only say that the Government have given no undertaking as to the making of any special grants to necessitous areas.
§ Mr. GRUNDYIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that some of these districts are doubly penalised for having found work for the unemployed, first by the increase of the district rate, in addition to the increase of the poor rate, which applies to the whole locality, and also by the fact that the Employment Exchanges are outside the districts and that it is very difficult for the small urban districts to improve their proportion of employment? [HON. MEMBERS: "Speech! "]