§ 20. Mr. KIRKWOODasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if Dumbarton and Clydebank are scheduled as distressed areas for the purpose of grant; how much of the £60,000 allocated to Scotland for the relief of distressed areas will be given to each burgh; and will he state the number of unemployed in both towns and the amount expended by each on able-bodied relief during the financial year ended May, 1933?
§ Mr. SKELTONUntil returns of expenditure and other relevant information have been received and examined, it is not possible to give definite particulars of the apportionment of the grant among the local authorities concerned, but on the estimated figures at present available it would seem that the town council of Dumbarton will receive Fibout £600, and the town council of Clydebank about £2,600. It should be understood that these figures are at present merely approximations, and must not be taken as final figures. As regards the last part of the question, at 15th June, 1933, there were in Dumbarton 620 persons with 621 dependants, and in Clydebank 1,833 persons with 5,952 dependants, in receipt of able-bodied relief. The approximate amount expended on able-bodied relief during the year ended 15th May, 1933, was £11,400 in Dumbarton and £33,400 in Clydebank.
§ Mr. KIRKWOODDoes not the Under-Secretary of State for Scotland, in the presence of the Secretary of State for Scotland, think that the amount of £60,000 which has been allocated to Scotland is a scandal, coming from the same Government that have given £14,000,000 to the brewers and £2,000,000 to the Arabs?
§ Mr. SPEAKERMr. Neil Maclean.
§ 21. Mr. MACLEANasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware that the expenditure by the Glasgow Public Assistance Committee on able-bodied poor relief is estimated to amount to approximately £1,000,000 during this municipal financial year; whether he can state the amount of relief that is to be allocated to Glasgow from the £60,000 allocated to Scotland; and whether in view of the inadequacy of this sum to assist the areas in Scotland where unemployment is most severe, a special 1662 grant will be made to Scotland in addition to the total grant?
§ Mr. SKELTONThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the second part, until returns of expenditure and other particulars have been received from the various local authorities concerned it is not possible to give definite details of the apportionment of the grant, but, on the estimated figures at present available, it would seem that the Corporation of Glasgow will receive the maximum grant allowable, namely, £40,000. As regards the last part of the question, the total of £60,000 has been voted for distribution to the distressed areas of Scotland and it is not proposed to make a special grant in addition to that total.
§ Mr. MACLEANSince the Glasgow Corporation have admittedly spent £1,000,000 for the purpose of meeting what is a national problem, while the portion of this grant which they will receive is only about £40,000, does not the hon. Gentleman consider it absolutely necessary that both he and the Secretary of State should approach the Cabinet and insist upon a larger grant than is presently being made?
§ Mr. SKELTONNo, Sir. It must be kept in view that this grant is in addition to the block grant for the new period, out of which an actual total of at least £68,000 extra goes to Glasgow.
§ Mr. THORNECould the hon. Gentleman persuade the Government to give a few millions for this purpose from the Exchange Equalisation Fund?
§ Mr. KIRKWOODIs the Under-Secretary satisfied that the Secretary of State for Scotland, representing Scotland in the Cabinet, is standing up for Scotland as he ought to do?