§ 4. Mr. BUCHANANasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has yet made inquiry into the position of the unemployed able-bodied men at Montrose being forced to do test work and if he proposes taking any action?
§ Mr. SKELTONMy right hon. Friend received a report regarding the practice at Montrose of requiring able-bodied persons to perform certain tasks in return for the relief afforded to them by the public assistance authority, and as a result he has had representations made to the County Council of Angus pointing out that it was impossible for the Department of Health to concur in the continuance of this system of test work. At the same time the attention of the county council was drawn to their statutory powers enabling them to make arrangements for the employment of applicants for able-bodied relief on works of public utility.