§ 21. Mr. MANDERasked the Minister of Labour whether it is the intention of his Department that public assistance committees should have discretion to increase by 10 per cent. transitional payments now being made to meet the scale of needs after 1st July assuming the need remains unchanged?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the MINISTRY of LABOUR (Mr. R. S. Hudson)I would refer the bon. Member to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 23rd April in the Committee stage of the Unemployment Bill.
§ Mr. MANDERCould not my hon. Friend say clearly whether it is the fact that a public assistance committee has those discretionary powers? Would it not relieve a great deal of anxiety?
§ Mr. HUDSONI hope the hon. Member will read the statement made by my right hon. Friend.
§ Mr. MANDERCan my hon. Friend say "Yes" or "No" to the question I put to him?
§ 28. Mr. G. GRIFFITHSasked the Minister of Health how many cases on transitional payments in the West Riding County Council have received relief from the public assistance committee with doctors' notes, and how many have received relief without doctors' notes?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the MINISTRY of HEALTH (Mr. Shakespeare)The total number of cases in receipt of transitional payments supplemented by poor relief in the administrative county of the West Riding of Yorkshire was 2,121 during the week ending the 10th February, 1934. My right hon. Friend regrets that he has no information as to the numbers in each of the categories mentioned by the hon. Member.