§ 72. Mr. SHAKESPEAREasked the Minister of Health if any Regulations exist enabling boards of guardians to impose fines on test workers to enforce discipline, with the result that the allowance granted per week is less than the amount considered the bare minimum for health and efficiency?
§ Mr. GREENWOODI am not aware of any Regulations specifically empowering guardians to impose fines on men in receipt of outdoor relief, and I should strongly deprecate any action by boards of guardians which would result in inadequate relief being afforded.
§ Mr. McSHANEDoes not the general insistence on applicants signing the repayment forms act as a real deterrent to the poor from applying for relief which they might be called upon to pay out of a totally inadequate subsistence wage?
§ Mr. GREENWOODNo, the two questions are entirely different. The question on the Paper refers to applications for immediate relief. As the law stands now, it is possible for boards of guardians to require subsequent repayment after the period of destitution is over.
§ Mr. SHAKESPEAREIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the imposition of fines is a common form of discipline, and will he issue instructions chat it shall be discontinued, and never resorted to unless every other method has failed?
§ Mr. GREENWOODI do not accept the hon. Member's statement. If he will prove it to me, I will certainly examine it.
§ Mr. SHAKESPEAREIt is common in mine and other constituencies.
§ 73. Mr. SHAKESPEAREasked the Minister of Health whether he has received the reports of his inspectors on the condition of test-workers; whether he will publish the reports; and what action he proposes to take to end this system?
§ Mr. GREENWOODThe inspectors' reports have been received und the considerable mass of information is being digested. As regards the second part of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to what I said in answer to questions on 30th January on this subject. As regards the third part of the question, I cannot anticipate the result of my consideration of the information received.
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHAWhat stands in the way of putting the whole of the test work system on a more humane basis by removing some of the more glaring anomalies, which are quite out of accord with the sentiment of the century?
§ Mr. GREENWOODNothing, except that I have not the hon. Member's universal knowledge.
§ Captain GUNSTONWan stone-breaking introduced as test work under the Labour Government?
§ Mr. GREENWOODNo, it was instituted before the Labour Government.
§ Sir K. WOODDid not the right hon. Gentleman arrive at a definite conclusion 2077 on the matter a very long while ago? Why is he now taking up a different position?
§ Mr. GREENWOODThe answer is that test work does not all fall into the same category.
§ Mr. ERNEST BROWNWill the right hon. Gentleman consult the right hon. Member for Bow and Bromley (Mr. Lansbury) and add to his knowledge.
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHAArising out of the right hon. Gentleman's courteous answer, may I ask if he has not the universal knowledge of which his administration of the Department would put him in possession, why he had that universal knowledge when he was in Opposition.