§ 45. Mr. LOUIS SMITHasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give an estimate of the amount which will be paid to the municipal authorities to meet the extra payments entailed by the Unemployment Bill; and whether he has made any arrangements to cover the financial responsibility of local authorities in the matter of Poor Law assistance for any interim period which may exist between the operation of the present system and the coming into force of the Unemployment Bill?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINI think my hon. Friend must be under a misapprehension as the provisions of the Unemployment Bill, so far from imposing extra payments upon local authorities, confer considerable financial benefits upon them. As regards the last part of the question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the statement which I made upon this subject in the Debate on the 27th February.
§ Mr. SMITHIs it not a fact that the sooner the Unemployment Bill is passed into law the better it will be for local authorities from the financial point of view?
§ Mr. LOGANIs the right hon. Gentleman able to give the local authorities the appointed day under the Bill?
§ 58. Mr. H. WILLIAMSasked the Minister of Health if his attention has been drawn to the prosecution on the charge of stealing a bottle of milk of a Mrs. Gillespie, living in North-West London; what allowances were being 191 made by the public assistance authorities to her to keep herself and children; and whether he can state the facts in respect of this case?
§ The Minister of HEALTH (Sir Hilton Young)Yes, Sir. I am informed that public assistance was given in this case from 2nd to 12th February. On that date Mr. Gillespie informed the relieving officer that he had work to go to on the following day, and after that date no further application for public assistance was made on behalf of the family.
§ Mr. WILLIAMSIn the circumstances would it be unfair to regard the account given in the "Daily Herald" as grossly misleading?