HC Deb 07 March 1929 vol 226 cc546-8
20. Major COHEN

asked the President of the Board of Education how many divisional committees of the miners' distress fund are now in existence; how much money they have spent; and for what purposes?

Lord E. PERCY

There are 10 divisional committees for the administration of the Lord Mayor's Fund. It has not been thought advisable to hamper these committees in the earlier stages of their operations by requests for regular returns of expenditure, and it is not, therefore, yet possible to say how much money has been spent nor precisely for what purposes. The committees will shortly be asked to make returns, and more detailed information will then be available. Meanwhile, I am sending my hon. and gallant Friend a copy of the recent memorandum on the present operations of the Fund in South Wales, Durham and Northumberland.

22. Mr. JOHN

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he is aware that, under the instructions of the divisional committee of the Lord Mayor's Fund for South Wales, no provision is made for granting relief to single men who are deprived of their unemployment benefit and cannot obtain employment or relief from boards of guardians; and will he take the necessary steps whereby destitute single men in the distressed areas can be relieved from the Lord Mayor's Fund?

Lord E. PERCY

I am aware that the claims of the mothers and children to relief from the Fund have had the first attention; but the local committees of the Fund have been informed that it is their duty to make representations to the divisional committee if they consider that special local conditions require the extension of the scope of the Fund to purposes not at present covered. The question of granting more assistance to men is being considered but the action of the Joint Committee in such matters must necessarily depend on advice from local committees and divisional committees.

Mr. JOHN

Is the right hon. Gentleman not aware that the committee have issued instructions that no assistance is to be given to single men? Am I to understand from the Noble Lord's reply that those instructions will be altered so that single men may be assisted?

Lord E. PERCY

It is not true that single men receive no assistance. The hon. Gentleman is thinking of food and not of other things. We have to depend in this matter on the representations of the local committees. We are not proposing a change in the present system of distribution, which we think should rest in the hands of any representative local committee which is administering the fund.

Mr. MARDY JONES

There is a point in the question which the Minister of Education has not answered. There are a considerable number of single men who are out of work in South Wales—

Mr. SPEAKER

It is not in order for the hon. Member to explain the question.

Mr. JONES

I am trying to get my point made clear. Is it not a fact that these committees do not relieve single men in the way of food and other means? Although they assist the single men who get employment elsewhere by clothing and feeding them, when they fail to get employment they are absolutely stranded, because unemployment benefit is not available.

Lord E. PERCY

That is too sweeping a statement as regards the action of the local committees. The local committees are as fully aware of the conditions as the hon. Member, and we rely on the local committees to ask the joint committee to put other measure; in force if in their opinion other measures are considered to be necessary in the locality.

Mr. JOHN

Is it not a fact that the local authorities have received instructions from the divisional committee that no assistance is to be given to single men of any kind whatsoever; and is it not a fact that printed instructions have been sent out to the local committees? Will the Noble Lord make inquiries and ascertain whether it is not possible for those instructions to be altered?

Lord E. PERCY

The hon. Member seems to be ignoring the fact that the local committees were instructed that it was their duty to put forward proposals for additional assistance where they considered that the circumstances of the locality required it. The local committees in the hon. Member's district ought to put forward such recommendations if they consider that a change in the present system is required. I must not be taken as assenting to the very sweeping description of the instructions to the committee which the hon. Member has given.

Mr. JOHN rose

—

Mr. SPEAKER

The hon. Member has had the answer to his question.