§ 55. Mr. JOHNSTONasked the Under-Secretary to the Scottish Board of Health whether he has had a protest from the Arbroath Parish Council regarding the growth of local Poor Law burdens owing to the increasing and unreasonable stringency with which unemployment benefit regulations are being interpreted; and what steps, if any, he is taking in the matter?
§ Captain ELLIOT (Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Health, Scotland)The reply to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. I have ascertained that in the case of Arbroath there has been no increase during recent months in the number of able-bodied persons relieved, and that expenditure on relief of able-bodied unemployed in the parish for the period from the 15th May, 1925, to the present date is in fact less than it was for the corresponding period in the previous financial year. I do not therefore propose to take action as suggested.