§ 37. Mr. SMEDLEY CROOKEasked the Minister of Health if, in view of the Government's amendment to the Poor 795 Law (Scotland) Bill, whereby in affording out-door relief to a poor person a local authority shall disregard the first pound of any wounds or disability pension of which he is in receipt, he will take the necessary steps to ensure that the public assistance committees in England and Wales in dealing with similar cases shall make a similar provision?
40. Miss WARDasked the Minister of Health whether it is the intention of the Government to introduce legislation to permit local public assistance committees to disregard £1 disability pensions when assessing the needs of ex-service men in receipt of public assistance?
§ Mr. SHAKESPEAREMy right hon. Friend hopes to introduce legislation next Session to deal with this matter. As has been previously stated, public assistance authorities already have power to ignore so much of a disability pension as is off-set by the special needs of the case.
Miss WARDIs the hon. Gentleman aware that this principle has been conceded in the new Scottish Poor Law Bill, and will he consider extending the same principle to England and Wales?
§ Mr. SHAKESPEAREWe hope to march side by side with Scotland in this matter.
§ Captain STRICKLANDWill the hon. Gentleman consider issuing a further circular to the local authorities drawing their attention to the action of Scotland and advising them to consider it?