§ Mr. CHARLES EDWARDSasked the Prime Minister whether his attention has been called to the increase of matters of public importance which the county councils are called upon to administer; and will he consider making adequate grants from the National Exchequer to cover the cost of administering these public services so that it should not fall on local rates?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINProvision is made under the Housing and Land Settlement Acts of this Session for very substantial Exchequer Grants in respect of services which would normally fall on local rates. Extensive Exchequer Grants have also been made for Education, Police, and Roads. In view of the very heavy calls on the Exchequer at the present time, I cannot hold out hopes of further relief of the rates by Exchequer subsidies.