§ 28. Mr. Sorensenasked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the increased and increasing expenditure of grant-aided institutions, he will consider increasing the block grant to municipal authorities responsible for such institutions?
Mr. M. MacDonaldI am not entirely clear to what payments the hon. Member is referring. The block grant payable to local authorities is recalculated periodically at the end of periods of five years. The present period does not expire until 31st March, 1942, and I have no power to alter the amounts payable to local authorities in the interval.
§ Mr. SorensenDoes the Minister appreciate that, between the time when the last block grants were fixed and now many great changes have taken place, and the value of the grants has altered considerably, and, in view of legislation now before the House, does he appreciate that many of these grant-aided institutions have been involved in very heavy expenditure indeed which has to be passed on to the ratepayers?
Mr. MacDonaldAs far as local authorities are concerned, they have been put into particularly acute difficulties owing to the changes to which the hon. Member has referred. We have already indicated that if they are not able, out of their own resources or by the normal procedure, to raise the necessary money for carrying on essential services, then the Government will put them in funds and come to their aid. I think that position is quite satisfactory.