HC Deb 05 December 1935 vol 307 cc283-5
32. Sir JOSEPH NALL

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that public assistance committees, in computing need, are taking into consideration the additional 1s. per week for a child recently granted in unemployment benefit; whether it is intended that the additional 1s. should be so taken into consideration; and what guidance is being given to public assistance committees in the matter?

Sir K. WOOD

The duty of a public assistance authority is to assess the needs of an applicant for relief which he cannot meet from his own resources, and in doing so they have no power to ignore unemployment benefit. There are, however, very few cases in which it is found necessary to supplement benefit by relief, and I do not think that it is necessary for me to give any special guidance in the matter.

Sir J. NALL

Does not the right hon. Gentleman think that this position creates a state of unfairness?

Sir K. WOOD

No, Sir, I do not think so. This is a case where a man in receipt of unemployment assistance and also of the additional shilling makes an application for further assistance, and in all these cases the man in question gets unemployment assistance and some other relief.

Miss WILKINSON

Is it not in these cases in which the need is greatest—where the unemployment assistance committee have to help?

Sir K. WOOD

No, I do not think so, because in all these cases the persons applying gets the unemployment insurance money and ls. extra relief as well.

37. Mr. PEAKE

asked the Minister of Health the amounts advanced on loan by public assistance authorities to men employed in the coalmining industry and their dependants during the stoppage of 1926; the amounts repaid in discharge of such loans since that date; the amounts still unpaid at the present time; and whether, in the event of total remission of outstanding debts, the burden would fall upon local authorities or the national Exchequer?

Sir K. WOOD

I regret that the particulars desired in the first three parts of my hon. Friend's question are not available. As regards the last part, there is no power to grant a general remission of outstanding debts. Public assistance authorities have power to write off these debts in cases where they are satisfied that they are irrecoverable, and to the extent that they are so remitted they are borne by the authorities.

Mr. T. SMITH

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that some public assistance committees do not cancel these arrears but only suspend them, and in view of the fact that in many cases repayment is highly unlikely, would it not be better to cancel them altogether?

Sir K. WOOD

That is a question for the public authorities concerned.