§ 83. Mr. R. MORRISONasked the Minister of Transport, in view of the financial difficulties presented to urban authorities in launching unemployment schemes in respect of work on second class roads consequent upon the condition laid down in Clause 7 of the Unemployment Grants Committee's Forms (U. G. C, 9 and 10), whether he is prepared to take steps to amend such condition so as to admit of the 25 per cent, grant ordinarily obtainable being available in addition to a sufficient portion of the grant which would be made by the Unemployment Grants Committee if the subject matter of the scheme was otherwise than second class roads, and in order that the combined grants should at least equal the full grant obtainable from the Unemployment Grants Committee in respect of other works?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the MINISTRY of TRANSPORT (Lieut.-Colonel Moore-Brabazon)I am afraid it is not possible to depart from the rule that schemes assisted from the Road Fund cannot in addition draw grants from the Unemployment Grants Committee and vice versa. For this 1068 reason schemes coming within the category of normal maintenance and improvement, towards which "classification" grants are made from the Road Fund, cannot obtain further assistance from the Unemployment Grants Committee.
§ Mr. MORRISONIn view of the increasing urgency of the unemployment problem in this country, and the fact that local authorities in those areas most afflicted with unemployment are almost at a standstill in their efforts to provide schemes of work, could not the hon. and gallant Gentleman see whether something cannot be done in this matter?