SCALES OF RELIEF.

HC Deb 01 December 1927 vol 211 cc697-8

51. Mr. B. SMITH

asked the Minister of Health which boards of guardians have reduced their scales of relief since the present Governmnt took office?

Mr. CHAMBERLAIN

Information on this point is not in my possession. I may, however, point out that the cost of living index has fallen during the period to which the question refers from 80 to 69.

Mr. SMITH

Has the right hon. Gentleman no figure available to give us the relative fall in relief as compared with the fall in the cost of living?

Mr. CHAMBERLAIN

If the hon. Member will put down a question, I will see if I can give it.

52. Mr. SMITH

asked the Minister of Health to which boards of guardians his Department has suggested that the scales of relief should be reduced; and in which case the suggestion was made or pressure exercised as a condition of the approval of loans to the guardians concerned?

Mr. CHAMBERLAIN

It is my practice to bring the facts to the notice of guardians in any case in which the expenditure on relief is comparatively high, but specific suggestions for the reduction of scales of relief do not necessarily accompany such communications, and I am afraid that I am not in a position to furnish the hon. Member with such lists as he desires. Obviously in all cases in which application is made by guardians for sanction to a loan in respect of current expenditure, I must necessarily have regard to the rate of that expenditure.

Mr. SMITH

Can the right hon. Gentleman say that in no case suggestions are made as to the amount of reductions of relief that should take place under the penalty of the imposition of a committee?

Mr. CHAMBERLAIN

That was not quite the question which the hon. Member put. He asked me whether I could give him the boards of guardians to which my Department suggested that the scales of relief should be reduced, and I told him that I was unable to do it.

Mr. W. THORNE

Is is not a fact that boards of guardians that have not been compelled to go to his Department for a loan can pay what scales they like?

Mr. CHAMBERLAIN

I can and do draw their attention to the fact that their expenditure is comparatively high, and I use such influence as I possess to get them to reduce it.

Mr. THURTLE

When the right hon. Gentleman says that the expenditure is comparatively high, what standard of comparison is he applying?

Mr. CHAMBERLAIN

I take the expenditure of other boards of guardians.

Mr. MACKINDER

Does the Minister really advise boards who are paying what we call a decent scale, to reduce it when they are raising the money themselves?

Mr. CHAMBERLAIN

I do not think that I am quite prepared to accept the hon. Member as an authority on what is a decent scale.