§ 39. Mr. KIRKWOODasked the Secretary of State for Scotland the amount expended on able-bodied relief by local authorities in Scotland for the years ending May, 1932 and 1933; how much will be paid by these local authorities per annum under the new Unemployment Bill proposals and how much by the Government; is he aware of the opposition of local authorities to the proposals in the Bill; and will he include in the new Bill provisions to relieve the local authorities of the entire cost of able-bodied relief?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for SCOTLAND (Mr. Skelton)As stated in reply to the question asked by the hon. Member on 6th July last, the amount expended by local authorities in Scotland on the relief of the able-bodied poor, during the year ended the 15th May, 1932, was £1,073,026. The amount expended during the year ended 15th May, 1933, has not yet been definitely ascertained but is estimated to amount to £1,600,000. With regard to the second part of the question, I regret that it is not yet possible to give the information asked for. As regards the last two parts of the question, I must ask the hon. Member to await the publication of the Bill.
§ Mr. KIRKWOODDoes the hon. Gentleman consider that the £60,000 that the Government have granted for unemployment relief is going to touch more than the fringe of the matter, in view of the fact that it is costing, at the present time, nearly £2,000,000, on his own showing
§ Mr. SKELTONThe figure referred to by the hon. Member was only the special contribution for the last financial year. and has no relation to the permanent arrangements that are to be made under the Bill.
§ 40. Mr. MACLEANasked the Secretary of State for Scotland the approxi- 257 mate amount the local authorities in Scotland will be asked to contribute toward the cost of maintaining the unemployed in Scotland who are excluded from receiving statutory unemployment benefit?
§ Mr. SKELTONAs stated in reply to the hon. Member for Dumbarton Burghs (Mr. Kirkwood) I regret it is not yet possible to give the information asked for.
§ Mr. MACLEANAs the figures given in reply to the previous question have evidently been before the Department, is it not possible, before the introduction of the Unemployment Bill, to arrive at some decision as to what the local authorities are to be asked to pay?
§ Mr. SKELTONThe figures for which the hon. Gentleman asks will depend upon the financial relations in connection with the Bill that is to be introduced, and the statement must await the introduction of the Bill.
§ Mr. MACLEANIs the hon. Gentleman of the opinion that he will be able to give these definite figures when the Bill is introduced?
§ Mr. SKELTONThe figures in the Bill will make one factor certain, but before an absolutely accurate figure can be given, the costs for the standard year and other factors will have to be known with certainty. I think it is safe to say that on the introduction of the Bill it will be possible to give an approximate figure.
§ Mr. HANNONAre local authorities in Scotland to be placed in a preferential position as against those in this country?
§ Mr. SKELTONNo, Sir, there is no suggestion of that.
§ Mr. MACLEANIs it not putting the local authorities in Scotland in a rather awkward position when they do not know how much to assess their ratepayers in order to meet the sum that is to be asked of them?
§ Mr. SKELTONNo, Sir, I think not. The details are difficult to deal with by question and answer. The main factor depends upon the financial relations that will be embodied in the Bill, and clearly I could not, if I were in a position to do 258 so, anticipate the Bill by making a statement to the House now.