§ 72. Captain FANSHAWEasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what decisions have been arrived at with regard to the distribution in Scotland of the fund made available for the relief of the miners; if any relief is being given outside of the necessitous mining areas and, if so, to whom; and, approximately, what proportion of the fund has now been distributed?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for SCOTLAND (Major Elliot)The Distress in Mining Areas (Scotland) Fund is being administered by a Central Advisory Committee set up at a Conference held in Edinburgh on the 22nd December. At a meeting of the Central Advisory Committee held last week, various decisions were arrived at in regard to the policy to be followed in the administration of the Fund, and it is hoped to issue a Circular to Local Authorities this week intimating those decisions. In order to secure uniformity of administration as between the different districts, the Committee have fixed a scale of household income to be followed by Local Committees in considering applications for assistance, a discretion being allowed to Local Committees to exceed this scale in exceptional circumstances. Assistance from the Fund may be given either by way of food (which may include feeding of children at school) or clothing, by assisting suitable persons to move to other areas where employment has been found, or by assisting emigration. As regards the second part of the question, the Central Advisory Committee have decided to draw up a list of parishes which, for the purposes of the Fund, may reasonably be regarded as "mining areas." Within those parishes assistance from the Fund will not be limited to miners, and persons in distress in other industries will be entitled to make application for assistance. Outside those parishes, only the claims of mineworkers will be entertained. As regards the last part of the question, the Central Advisory Committee have distributed £20,000 to Local Authorities, representing about one-ninth of the present total of the Fund.
§ Captain FANSHAWECan my hon. and gallant Friend assure me that the same considerations will be given to distressed miners who live outside the scheduled parishes as is given to them if they reside within?
§ Major ELLIOTYes, Sir.
§ Mr. DENNISONWill the hon. and gallant Gentleman have regard to the distress which is prevailing among other workpeople who are not included in what may be described as a mining area?
§ Major ELLIOTIt is not possible for us to take account of that under the terms for the collection of the Fund.
§ Mr. DENNISONBut in view of the fact that the Government are now making a contribution from the taxpayers' money, ought not this Fund to apply to all cases of distress, and not be specifically earmarked for individuals?
§ Major ELLIOTIt would take a long time to go into all the reasons for the decisions which have been come to. Those decisions were come to by the Advisory Committee, and workers in certain other industries, as well as the miners, were represented on that Committee.
§ Mr. SHINWELLIs the amount of relief expended, £20,000, not very low having regard to the amount of distress in Scotland?
§ Major ELLIOTThat was merely the first interim distribution. The remaining distributions will take place as rapidly as the machinery which is set up can deal with applications.
§ Mr. ERNEST BROWNWhen the hon. and gallant Member speaks of representatives of other industries being on the Advisory Committee, does that mean inside the area? Were representatives from distressed shipyard areas like Leith or the Clyde also consulted with regard to the need in those areas?
§ Major ELLIOTThe particular industry which I had in mind was that of the steel-workers. The steel-workers are concerned with industries in various parts of the country.
§ Mr. BROWNWas any consideration given to the industry most distressed of the whole lot, shipbuilding?
§ Mr. DENNISONWill steel workers not within mining areas who are suffering from unemployment receive relief from this fund?
§ Major ELLIOTAccording to the decision of the Central Advisory Committee, on which, as I say, the steel-workers were represented, it will not be possible to relieve workers in other industries residing outside the scheduled mining areas.
§ Mr. KELLYArising out of that portion of the reply dealing with the transference 312 to other districts, is it meant that the cost of transferring people under the Ministry of Labour transfer Scheme will come out of this Fund?
§ Major ELLIOTOh, no. This fund, as it has been clearly explained by the Secretary of State, is not to serve as a replacement either of local relief or central relief, but it is to serve in a supplementary capacity to statutory assistance.
§ Mr. BROWNHas shipbuilding been considered, in view of the fact that out of 25,000 insured workers, at least 5,090 are out of work at the present moment?
§ Major ELLIOTAs the hon. Member knows, the question of shipbuilding did not arise either in the Debates in the House or in the appeal for funds which were made.
§ Mr. BROWNIs the hon. and gallant Member not aware that I put a question to the Prime Minister myself?
§ Mr. STEWARTWhat is the scale of relief which has been decided upon? The hon. and gallant Member mentioned the scale, but he did not give any indication as to what it was.
§ Major ELLIOTThe scale of relief, along with other relevant facts, will be found in the circular which will be issued this week to the various bodies concerned.
§ Mr. W. THORNEAre the Government going to give pound for pound in Scotland?
§ Major ELLIOTAt the present time the Government are contributing to Scotland its due proportion of 11/80ths of all money contributed by the Government towards any fund in the United Kingdom, that is 11/80ths of Government subscriptions towards the Lord Mayor's Fund.