§ 41. Mr. BENNETTasked the Minister of Health the six highest scales of relief in this country, indicating whether these meet with the approval of the Ministry; and whether he is taking any action in connection with any of them?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINIt is not easy to compare different scales of relief, as the additional allowances made as the family becomes larger vary in different unions. I am, however, sending my hon. Friend particulars of the scales in force, according to the information available, in the Stepney, West Ham, Bermondsey, Chester-le-Street, Lanchester and Greenwich Unions. These scales are not ordinarily the subject of approval or disapproval, but in connection with loan applications reductions in the scale have, at my request, been made in the West Ham and Lanchester Unions, and I am at present in communication with the guardians of the Chester-le-Street Union in this connection.
§ 42. Mr. BENNETTasked the Minister of Health if there are any boards of guardians in the country which are subsidising the wages of people working for less than their scale of relief up to the amount of their scale and, if 60, which boards of guardians they are; whether any of them have applied for now loans or have obtained loans with the sanction of the Ministry; and, if so, what action he is taking in each case?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINI am only aware of one instance in which a board of guardians has adopted this policy. The union concerned is Chester-le-Street. The guardians have applied for sanction to a loan and I have requested them to reconsider their position. To give them time for this reconsideration I have authorised them to raise an overdraft repayable by the end of next month.
§ Mr. SPENCERIs it not the case that other boards of guardians are supplementing wages where the wages of the workmen are insufficient to keep the family?
§ Mr. SPENCERThere are many others.
77. Sir F. HALLasked the Minister of Health what action is being taken by the Government to prevent guardians from granting high-scale outdoor relief to men able to obtain and perform work at wages sufficient to support themselves and their families; and whether, in cases in which such relief is being given, the men affected are entitled to or are in any cases receiving unemployment pay in addition?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINIn the only cases to which, so far as I know, the first part of my hon. Friend's question would be applicable, the actual grant of such relief has been formally disapproved. I am not aware that any of the men concerned were entitled to or in receipt of unemployment benefit.