§ 29. Mr. GROVESasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the alarm expressed by the Conference of Distressed Areas at the prospect of the appointed day for the operation of Part II of the Unemployment Bill being fixed later than 1st July, 1934, and the burden of unemployment relief which has 457 been left to be borne by the distressed areas for so long a period, he is prepared to make provision whereby, in the event of the appointed day under Part II of the Bill being fixed for a date later than 1st July, financial assistance will be provided for the distressed areas as from that date equivalent to the relief contemplated by the Bill?
§ The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER (Mr. Chamberlain)As my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary explained on the 23rd April in reply to a question by the hon. Member for Plaistow (Mr. Thorne), I gave full consideration to representations made to me on behalf of the distressed areas before announcing on the 27th February last that the special grant to distressed areas would be continued until Part II of the Unemployment Bill comes into operation. It would not be possible to anticipate the relief which local authorities will receive under the Bill.