§ 38. Mr. ERNEST BROWNasked the Minister of Health the estimated actual populations and the estimated weighted populations under the proposed formula for the cities of Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham, Bradford, Leeds and Bristol, and the towns of Bournemouth, Blackpool and Brighton, respectively?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINComplete figures for the standard year 1928–29 will not be available until some time after the end of that year when the apportionment of values provided for in the Rating and Valuation (Apportionment) Act of this year is known. Estimates of the factors of weighted population for County Boroughs are set out on pages 26 to 29 of the White Paper Cmd. 3134. These estimates are subject to the qualifications set out on pages 23 and 24 of the same paper and for the reasons stated cannot at present be more precisely framed.
§ Mr. BROWNCan the right hon. Gentleman say whether any approximate figures can be given for the county boroughs? It is very important in view of the discussion of the Bill that hon. Members should have some approximate idea as to the effect of the weighting in terms of population as well as finance?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINI think the hon. Member will find what he calls approximate data in the White Paper. I am afraid that I cannot give any figures which will come closer to the truth than those figures in the White Paper.
§ Mr. BROWNIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the authorities in Scotland have been able to produce a private document giving comparable figures for the Scottish burghs and counties?
§ Mr. W. THORNEIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that so far as the West Ham Poor Law Union is concerned they will be overweighted under Clause 17 of the Bill?
§ Mr. SPEAKERI do not know whether hon. Members have noticed that there are 123 questions on the Paper.
§ 39. Mr. BROWNasked the Minister of Health if he proposes to circulate a table giving the details of the estimated weighted populations for the English and Welsh counties?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINI do not think any useful purpose would be served by circulating a table of estimated weighted populations until the particulars for the standard year are available but I propose shortly to circulate illustrative figures, based on estimated particulars for 1926–27, for a number of counties in addition to those for which figures were given in the White Paper Cmd. 3134.
Mr. CHAMBERLAINIt is a rather long and expensive process, but I am getting along with it, and I hope to publish another batch soon.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYHow is that when there is a by-election in progress these figures can be produced?