§ 29. Colonel WEDGWOODasked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that the Kidsgrove Public Assistance Committee make a practice of refusing relief to single men and that men in that district who have been struck off unemployment benefit have no recourse except to the Poor Law; and whether he will communicate with the Stafford County Council in order that such persons shall not suffer unduly owing to the postponing of the Unemployment Assistance Act?
§ The MINISTER of HEALTH (Sir Hilton Young)I am making inquiries and will communicate with the right hon. Member.
§ 31. Mr. HUTCHISONasked the Minister of Health whether he will consider placing in the Library of the House the public assistance scales of relief for the able-bodied unemployed which were adopted by the 20 largest towns of the country just prior to the work being taken over by the Unemployment Assistance Board, so that it may be possible to draw comparisons between what is being done now and what was superseded?
§ Sir H. YOUNGThough public assistance authorities are not required to report their scales of relief to me, I have of course considerable information available as to actual scales in force. I fear, however, that publication of such scales would be calculated rather to mislead than to inform since, to obtain a correct view of the situation, the method of administration of a scale needs to be ascertained as well as the scale itself.
§ 39. Mr. THORNEasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is now in a position to make a statement as to the supplementary grants that he intends paying to the various local authorities, and as to the amount that each local authority will receive, in consequence of the Unemployment Assistance Board not being able to take over the able-bodied unemployed on 1st March, 1935?
§ The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER (Mr. Chamberlain)I am not yet in a position to add to the reply given to a similar question by the hon. Member on the 25th February.
§ Mr. THORNEIf I put a similar question down for one of the days next week, does the right hon. Gentleman think that he will be in a position to make a definite statement?
§ Mr. CHAMBERLAINYes, Sir, I should think so.
40. Miss WARDasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is now in a position to inform the House of the estimated cost to local authorities of public assistance from 1st October to 31st March to those persons who will come under Part II of the Unemployment Insurance Act on the appointed day, the figure to relate to the whole country, the North-East coast, and the Northumberland County Council, respectively?
§ Mr. CHAMBERLAINI regret that the information for which my hon. Friend asks is not available.
§ Mr. SPEAKERI am afraid the hon. Lady must not discuss logic.