The following Question stood on the Order Paper in the name of Mr. W. THORNE:40. To ask the Minister of Health if he is now in a position to state the number of commissioners he has selected to give out relief in the West Ham Poor Law Union, their names, profession, and salary; if he can now state what will be the maximum scale of relief and what will he the amount paid out in kind and money and the amount of the loan, if any, that will be granted to the West Ham Poor Law authority; if he can state the amount of interest that will be charged; and whether the total expenses of administration will have to be paid by the West Ham Union ratepayers?
§ Mr. J. JONESMay I put the Question standing in the name of my hon. Friend the Member for Plaistow (Mr. W. Thorne)? Can it be answered in his absence?
§ Mr. SPEAKERHas the hon. Member for Plaistow asked the hon. Member to put the Question?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Member can put the Question.
§ Sir K. WOODI am sending the hon. Member a copy of the Order which my right hon. Friend has issued under the 901 Boards of Guardians (Default) Act, 1926, in the case of the West Ham Poor Law Union under which the following gentlemen are appointed guardians—Sir Alfred Woodgate, Mr. Alan Beal, Mr. John James Scott. The guardian first named is a retired Civil Servant. The other two are serving Civil Servants. No definite arrangement with regard to their salary has been made. The scale of relief and the amount paid in kind and in money will be matters for the determination of the new board of guardians. The amount of the loan to be granted to them will depend upon the extent to which the expenditure of the guardians is found to exceed the amount that can be reasonably raised by poor rate, and the interest to be charged on any such loan will depend upon the market rate at the time the loan is advanced. The reply to the last part of the question is in the affirmative.
§ Mr. JONESCan the hon. Member say Who is to be responsible for raising money for the new board of guardians?
§ Sir K. WOODThe ordinary law will operate with regard to this board of guardians as in regard to the one which they have superseded.
§ Mr. JONESCan the hon. Member tell us what he means by the raising of the rate? Does he expect that local authorities are going to levy a rate for a body over which they have no control?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat is provided for in the Act.
§ Mr. MACLEANDoes the Minister consider it proper that a Civil Servant who has retired and is drawing a pension should be placed in a position to draw another salary—I understand these guardians are to be paid salaries—from a particular place where the board of guardians have been swept out for alleged corruption?
§ Sir K. WOODYes, I think so. This gentleman has exceptional qualifications for the task, and I have no doubt that he will carry out his duties very successfully.
§ Mr. MACLEANDoes the hon. Member consider it right and proper that a civil servant whose period of retirement has arrived and who is now in receipt of 902 pension for the work he has done for the State, should be placed in a fresh situation and be paid an additional salary?
§ Mr. TAYLORCan the Minister say whether this gentleman will receive his pension as well as the additional salary?
§ Sir K. WOODI have already replied. The question of remuneration is still under consideration.
§ Mr. JONESOn a point of Order. I should like to know whether it is possible for me to move the Adjournment of the House on this matter? It is very important to us, because it raises more issues than that of the board of guardians. They are not the only body concerned.
§ Mr. SPEAKERI think not. The action taken is in pursuance of the Act recently passed.
§ Mr. JONESI do not pretend to know the law. It is a good job for me that I do not. I should like to ask this question: What is the position of the local authorities who are levying rates? Have they to obey this new board of guardians?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat point is provided for in the Act.