§ 73. Mr. BURGESSasked the Minister of Health the names of the six boards of guardians which give the largest allowances in relief; and if he will in each case state the amount?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINParticulars in regard to the amount of the allowances for all the various classes of persons in receipt of relief are not immediately available, but, taking into account only the relief to unemployed persons and their dependants, the unions in which the weekly expenditure per head is highest are West Ham, Poplar, Limehouse, Greenwich, Sheffield and Woolwich, the rates of expenditure being 6s. 9¼d., 6s. 7¼d., 6s. 4¼d., 6s. O¼d., 5s, 6¾d, and 5s. 6½d., respectively.
§ Mr. J. JONESIs the right hon. Gentleman prepared to recognise the fact that a large number of the people who are being relieved in places like West Ham are people who came into the district in consequence of the War and are now planted upon us, so that we have to keep on maintaining them; and would the Government be prepared to take into consideration the advisability of adopting some method of relieving the local ratepayers in matters of this kind?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat does not arise on this question.
§ 79. Mr. PALINGasked the Minister of Health if he is aware that C. H. Hancock, of 4, Hope Street, Eden Grove, Holloway, who, prior to joining the Army, resided at Denaby, near Doncaster, has only worked 17 weeks since January, 1922; that the 502 Islington Board of Guardians paid him supplementary relief for himself, wife, and four children until stopped by the Doncaster Board of Guardians; and that subsequent appeals to the Doncaster Guardians have been rejected; and, seeing that his income is only 24s. per week out-of-work pay, will he take steps. to have the case inquired into at once?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINI am informed that the facts of this case are substantially as stated in the question. I have no power to intervene for the purpose of ordering relief in a particular case, but I am bringing to the notice of the Islington Guardians the fact that their duty of relieving destituton, if it be present in the case, is not affected by the refusal of the Doncaster Board of Guardians to grant non-resident relief.
§ Mr. PALINGIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the Doncaster Board of Guardians are placed in a very favourable position compared with most other boards, in that they have been called upon to pay very little unemployment pay, owing to the fact that there has been little unemployment in Doncaster? If the Islington board do not assent to this,. will the right hon. Gentleman persuade the, Doncaster board to deal with the case decently?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINI cannot persuade the board of guardians to do otherwise than they are allowed to do in their discretion, but that is not really the point. The point is what the Islington Board of. Guardians are going to do.