§ 40. Mr. THURTLEasked the Minister of Health if he is aware that payments from the Metropolitan Common Poor Fund to London boroughs axe frequently 12 months in arrear; and what steps are open to boroughs whose money is thus withheld to overcome the financial difficulty thereby created?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINIt is the fact that payments from the Common Poor 1365 Fund are normally made some 12 months in arrear. I cannot, however, agree that at the present time this leads to any financial difficulty which requires to be dealt with, for the guardians in any half-year receive from the fund a sum sub stantially equivalent to the amount which will ultimately be due to them from the fund in respect of their expenditure in that half-year.
§ Mr. THURTLEWith respect to the six months' payment which is in arrear, would it be possible for guardians to obtain some loan on account during that six months?