31. Mr. Davidsonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland the total amount of poor relief paid in Scotland for the years ended March, 193o and 1938, respectively?
Mr. WedderburnThe total for the year ended May, 1930, was £3,725,057. The expenditure for the year ended May, 1938, cannot be ascertained until abstracts of accounts for the financial year have been received from the local authorities. This will not be for some months yet.
Mr. WedderburnThe only figures I have are for the able-bodied poor, which, of course, show a large decrease by reason of the operation of Part II of the Unemployment Act. If the ordinary poor figures were brought in, certainly there would be a considerable increase in the total figure over 1930.
Mr. DavidsonIs the hon. Gentleman aware that this increase bears more heavily on the local authorities than on the Government, and will he ask his right hon. Friend to take steps to relieve Scottish local authorities of this burden?
26. Mr. Davidson (forMr. Mathers)asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware that a Return of Persons in Receipt of Poor Relief in England and Wales of 1st January, which analyses nationally and for each public assistance authority the causes of destitution, is published annually; whether he is aware that there is no such publication, covering similar ground, for Scotland, why Scotland is so far behind England and Wales in this matter; and whether he will give an undertaking that a similar annual statement for Scotland will be published?
Mr. WedderburnI would refer the hon. Member to the answer given to a similar question which he addressed to my right hon. Friend on 26th April.