§ 13. Mr. Liptonasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what recent proposals he has received from the National Assistance Board for increasing the present coal allowance.
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterNone, Sir And although, of course, the National Assistance Board both takes into account the need for fuel of all sorts in its consideration of its scale rates and can, and frequently does, make discretionary additions to help with the cost of fuel in special circumstances, there is no such thing as the coal allowance to which the hon. Member seeks to refer.
§ Mr. LiptonWill the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind, first, that there are about 1½ million people dependent on National Assistance and, secondly, that something like 35 million tons of coal are stocked in the country? Would it not be sensible and practicable—whatever he may call it, a coal allowance or anything else—for the National Assistance Board to be more generous in making these discretionary grants?
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterWhen we last fully discussed the affairs of the National Assistance Board, there was general approval on both sides of the House of the wide use of discretionary powers by the Board and its officers.