HC Deb 03 April 1928 vol 215 cc1771-2
17. Mr. BUCHANAN

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the number of local authorities now having distress committees operating as under the Act of 1925; the amount of grants, if any, made by the Government last year; and what steps, if any, are being taken to establish them where they are not operating?

Sir J. GILMOUR

There are at present nine distress committees in existence in Scotland constituted under the Unemployed Workmen Act, 1905, but for some considerable time only two, operating in Edinburgh and Glasgow, have been providing work for unemployed persons. No grants were made to distress committees by the Government last year. As regards the last part of the question it is not proposed to take any steps to establish more distress committees.

Mr. BUCHANAN

In view of the fact that distress is prevalent in various parts of Lanarkshire, Linlithgowshire and Perthshire, may I ask what steps, if any, the right hon. Gentleman is taking to set up distress committees to relieve the abnormal amount of distress in those counties?

Dr. DRUMMOND SHIELS

Has the attention of the Secretary of State for Scotland been called to the very great success of the working of the Edinburgh Distress Committee, and to the fact that its larger success is only being prevented by the lack of funds?

Sir J. GILMOUR

The settled policy of the Government is not to continue to give support to these distress committees. Our policy has been directed to larger schemes on a different basis.

Mr. BUCHANAN

Will the right hon. Gentleman answer my supplementary question, and tell us what steps he is taking in connection with the distress which is prevalent in the counties of Lanarkshire, Linlithgowshire and Perthshire, where at the moment the distress among the population is abnormal?

Sir J. GILMOUR

The hon. Member knows that to answer a question of that kind would open up a very large debate, and therefore it is impossible to answer it at Question Time. Undoubtedly, the Government have taken steps by a variety of means, and are now taking steps, to deal with this problem on a different basis.

Mr. STEPHEN

Is it not the case that the Government are doing nothing? Is not that the answer?