HC Deb 24 March 1927 vol 204 cc547-8
34. Mr. TAYLOR

asked the Minister of Health why he has issued instructions to the chief officers of his Department requiring them to refuse to sanction any further loans or overdrafts for special unemployment relief to Poor Law guardians in necessitous areas except on condition that a reduced scale of relief is paid to unemployed persons and their dependants?

Mr. CHAMBERLAIN

No such general instructions have been issued, but, where a board of guardians applies for sanction. to borrow to meet their current expenditure, it is obviously necessary, before sanction can be given, that I should be satisfied that their expenditure is not excessive in comparison with the expenditure of other apparently similar unions.

Mr. TAYLOR

Can the right hon. Gentleman give us one recent case in which the Department have sanctioned an overdraft for a necessitous area without compelling a reduction?

Mr. CHAMBERLAIN

If the hon. Member will put that question down, I will answer it.