§ 59. Mr. GALLACHERasked the Minister of Health whether he proposes to take steps to instruct local public assistance officers and unemployment assistance boards to grant additional Christmas relief, and additional winter relief, for unemployed families?
§ Sir K. WOODPublic assistance authorities have a duty to provide adequate and appropriate relief on all occasions and are empowered to incur reasonable expenditure on special allowances to persons in receipt of relief at Christmas time. I have no power to instruct them or their officers to grant relief and I do not think any reminder necessary.
§ Mr. GALLACHERIs the Minister aware that some local authorities are granting such relief and that others are not, although the need may be more urgent? Is he also aware that the present operation of the means test, which no one will defend, is imposing and will impose terrible hardships on the unemployed in the coming winter, and will he not, pending new legislation in connection with the means test, issue a circular to local authorities so that many of the unemployed and their families may be saved hardship during the coming winter?
§ Sir K. WOODI have no authority to do that, and I do not think it is necessary.