43. Mr. W. JOSEPH STEWARTasked the Minister of Health what steps he is taking to make public assistance in Durham County a national charge either by subsidy or the weighting of the block grant on a basis of the percentage of unemployed to insured workers in this area, so that rates may be lowered, thus removing one of the main prejudices against this county as a manufacturing area?
§ Mr. SHAKESPEAREAs my right hon. Friend stated in reply to a question on lath February, the proportion of rate-and grant-borne expenditure on public assistance and other services of the local authorities in the county which is met out of Exchequer grants is almost two-thirds. The block grant through which the main part of this assistance is given is calculated on a formula which includes an unemployment factor, the working of which will be included in the investigation into the basis of distribution of the block grant now taking place in consultation with the associations of local authorities.
Mr. STEWARTIs it the intention of the right hon. Gentleman the Minister of Health to deal specially with Durham County as a depressed area so as to make the poor rate there comparable with the rest of the country?
§ Mr. SHAKESPEAREIf the hon. Gentleman will read the answer, he will see that the whole question of the readjustment of the need formula is being considered, and in so far as the need of Durham is in excess of the need of any other area, that will be accounted for in the formula.
Mr. STEWARTHas the hon. Gentleman had a report from the special investigator in Durham County who suggested that Durham was heavily weighted through large numbers of unemployed and suggested a subsidy, and may we have a guarantee from the Department concerned that that county will have special consideration as a weighted area?
§ Mr. LAWSONIs the hon. Gentleman not aware that since the formula has been working the poor rate has actually increased, and is this any consolation to the county?