§ 22. Mr. STOURTONasked the Minister of Health if, in view of the urgent need for action, he will be in a position before the House adjourns for the Easter Recess to make a statement as to the Government's intentions to relieve the depressed areas of the increasing burden of Poor Law relief?
23. Mr. LAWasked the Minister of Health whether, having regard to the anxiety which is felt in many parts of the country as to the Government's policy, he is yet able to make a state- 1904 ment on the position of the depressed areas in relation to the burden of the Poor Law rate?
Sir H. YOUNGThe matter is occupying the immediate attention of the Government. I am unable to say to-day when such a statement as that referred to will be made.
§ Mr. H. WILLIAMSIs it not the case that some depressed areas are depressed because of past profligacy on the part of the local authorities—
Mr. WILLIAMSWill my right hon. Friend bear that consideration in mind in any decision that is come to?
§ 30. Mr. KIRKWOODasked the Secretary of State for Scotland the amount expended by local authorities in Scotland on able-bodied relief for unemployed and their dependants since 1921; the amount expended by Glasgow, Clydebank, Dumbarton, Greenock, Paisley, and other industrial centres; and, in view of the representations made to him by local authorities that the State should undertake to pay the cost of able-bodied relief, what action is to be taken by the Government to relieve local authorities and ratepayers of this burden?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for SCOTLAND (Mr. Skelton)I am sending the hon. Member a tabular statement containing the information asked for in the first two parts of the question. As regards the last part, as was stated on the 30th March in reply to a similar question by the hon. Member for the Scotland Division of Liverpool (Mr. Logan) the whole matter is under the consideration of the Government.