§ 65. Sir K. WOODasked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been called to the action of certain local authorities in purporting to take general action in cancelling debts incurred by way of relief on loan without regard to the circumstances of the individual debtors; whether he can state the total or any amount involved and the names of the authorities concerned; and whether he has taken any action?
§ Mr. GREENWOODI have been made aware that two boards of guardians have taken action of the kind indicated in the question. That of the Tynemouth Board is, I understand, the subject of proceedings in the High Court, and I have ex pressed and can express no opinion on the subject. The Whitehaven Board of Guardians had taken similar action, but I am informed have rescinded their resolution. The amounts said to be involved are in the former case about £146,000 and in the latter case about £51,000. I am not in a position to vouch for the figures, but these are stated to be the amounts actually outstanding, and are not the amounts which might eventually be recoverable. To the Whitehaven Guardians, and others who have raised the issue, I have conveyed my view that the guardians have no power to effect a general cancellation of loans without regard to the ability of the individual debtor to repay.
§ Sir K. WOODHas the resolution of the Whitehaven Guardians been rescinded and no further action taken in the matter?
§ Mr. GREENWOODI am not aware of it.
§ 71. Mr. GRUNDYasked the Minister of Health how many boards of guardians have passed resolutions in favour of cancelling special loans which were granted 1243 in 1926; how many requests have been received by his Department from boards of guardians for permission to cancel such loans; and will he state what steps he has taken, or intends to take, to facilitate such cancellation before the Local Government Act of 1929 becomes operative?
§ Mr. GREENWOODNo record is available of the number of boards of guardians who have passed such resolutions. I have received a few requests for permission to cancel debts in respect of relief granted on loan during 1926. The matter is not one in which I am empowered to give any permission to boards of guardians, and I am advised that guardians have no power to cancel loans generally, though they may exercise a discretion in individual cases, having regard to the actual circumstances of the particular persons concerned.