HC Deb 28 November 1933 vol 283 cc678-81
36. Mr. NEIL MACLEAN

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware that the officials of the Glasgow public assistance committee have hitherto declined to exempt the first 7s. 6d. of National Health Insurance benefit when assessing the income of claimants for able-bodied relief; and whether he will take steps to ensure that all public assistance committees are made aware of his decision on this point?

Mr. SKELTON

The point raised by the hon. Member does not arise in the case of recipients of able-bodied relief as such persons are necessarily not in receipt of sickness or disablement benefits under the National Health Insurance Act. No action is, therefore, required with regard to the second part of the question.

Mr. MACLEAN

Is not the hon. Gentleman aware that this public assistance committee has not taken the amount into account, and will he instruct them to do so, if that is the case; and will he tell the House whether any notice is to be taken of the amounts that have been disallowed in the past, with a view to having them re-allowed by the public assistance committees?

Mr. SKELTON

Perhaps the hon. Gentleman will await my reply to Question No. 41.

Mr. McGOVERN

Is it the case that a man cannot be drawing health insurance and at the same time be an able-bodied person, that it applies only to Poor Law persons, and that the late Secretary for Scotland, Mr. Adamson, refused to take action in the last Parliament?

40. Mr. BUCHANAN

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if the Board of Health has considered the appeal against a decision of the Glasgow public assistance committee refusing relief for a child which was born after the parents had been in receipt of sick relief; and is hat action has been taken?

Mr. SKELTON

I assume that this question refers to the case of Mr. James Watson about which my hon. Friend was recently in correspondence with me. Mr. Watson submitted to the Department of Health a statutory complaint regarding the amount of relief afforded to him by the Poor Law authority of Glasgow and the Department being of opinion, after careful consideration, that the relief afforded could not be regarded as inadequate dismissed the complaint.

Mr. BUCHANAN

Is not an issue raised here beyond the question of relief for an individual case. Has the hon. Member considered this, that a person who is in receipt of Poor Law sick relief, under this decision of the Glasgow Corporation is debarred from in any way increasing his family? If that be the law, should not the law apply to everybody in the country? Why single out poor people for special reference in connection with this matter?

Mr. SKELTON

I think my hon. Friend is drawing too broad a deduction from one special case.

Mr. BUCHANAN

As this matter raises an important principle, I beg to give notice that I shall raise it on the Adjournment.

41. Mr. BUCHANAN

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the position with regard to the Glasgow Public Assistance Committee and the payments made to persons on sick poor relief and the calculation of the first 7s. 6d. of health insurance in their amount of relief: and if it is the intention of the Board of Health to make that decision uniform throughout Scotland?

Mr. SKELTON

Following a recent investigation made by one of their general inspectors which showed that the Glasgow Public Assistance Committee were giving only partial effect to the terms of the statutory provision on this subject, the Department of Health have written to the corporation pointing out that complete exclusion from an applicant's income of the first 7s. 6d. of health insurance benefit was necessary under the provisions of the Statute. I am informed that these requirements will now be fully observed by the public assistance committee. As regards the latter part of the question the Department will, in accordance with their practice, call the attention of Poor Law authorities to the terms of the Statute in any case where such a course appears to he necessary. I would add that in the only case in which my attention was drawn to the fact that a local authority had passed a resolution which involved the disregard of the statutory provisions, the Department specially communicated with the local authority on the matter.

Mr. BUCHANAN

In view of the fact that a large number of people have been denied this right for some considerable time, will the hon. Member take steps to see that the local authority makes good the amounts due to these people through their lack in operating the Act? I would like the hon. Member to consider that. Will he not take action in the matter seeing that these people have been deprived of what was their Parliamentary legal right? Will he take steps to see that they are paid back from the date when the money was due?

Mr. SKELTON

The supplementary question was wiser in its original form, as to my considering the question.