HC Deb 15 June 1925 vol 185 cc41-2
83. Mr. W. THORNE

asked the Minister of Health the number of investigating officers and relieving officers that the West Ham Board of Guardians have under their control; whether he has any complaint to make against the way in which the various relief cases are investigated; and how the scale of relief paid by the guardians compares with that of other boards of guardians of similar parishes to West Ham?

Sir K. WOOD

I understand that there are 61 investigating officers and 24 relieving officers under the control of the West Ham Board of Guardians. I cannot well discuss the second part of the question by way of Question and Answer, but my right hon. Friend cannot say that he is satisfied with the guardians' administration. The scale of relief is substantially higher than that afforded in other similar unions.

Mr. THORNE

If you are not satisfied with the investigations that take place, are you prepared to have an inquiry to see whether the investigators are doing their work properly?

Sir K. WOOD

I think the best reply to the hon. Gentleman is that the guardians have already seen my right hon. Friend, who has made various suggestions to them. I understand they desire to see him again next week, and I understand he is going to see the guardians, and we hope that they will comply with the suggestions.

Mr. J. JONES

May I ask if the hon. Gentleman thinks that 10s. a week for a man and his wife, and 5s. for each child, is too much for the guardians to give? [HON. MEMBERS: "Order, order!"] Well, that is the basis of the inquiry. We are prepared to have any inquiry you like. Why, you spend 10 "bob" on going down to Ascot.

84. Mr. W. THORNE

asked the Minister of Health the number of families and individual cases who were relieved by the West Ham Board of Guardians for the week ending Saturday, 8th June; and the amount of outdoor relief that was paid out for that week?

Sir K. WOOD

My right hon. Friend is informed by the guardians that particulars as to the number of families relieved are not available. The number of individual cases relieved for the week ending 6th June is reported to be 25,449, and the amount of outdoor relief paid out in that week £22,051.

Mr. THORNE

Has the hon. Gentleman seen the report, the wicked report, in the papers that 90 per cent. of the people have been relieved by the West Ham Board of Guardians?

Sir K. WOOD

No, I have not seen it.

Mr. JONES

No, but it is in one of your papers.

Mr. LANSBURY

Is the hon. Gentleman correct when he says that it is not possible to get the figure showing the number of families relieved in any one week? Is he not aware of the fact that it is a statutory duty on the part of the guardians to keep all those particulars, and that those figures are available in every union in the country?

Mr. JONES

17,000 families in West Ham.

Sir K. WOOD

I can only state that the guardians have been applied to and that they themselves state that "particulars as to the number of families relieved are not available."

Mr. DALTON

Is the scale of relief granted in West Ham as high as the scale of relief to Super-tax payers under the Budget?