§ Mr. MALLABY-DEELEYasked the Minister of Health how much of the sum of £3,000,000 voted in December last for the purpose of assisting local authorities to carry out works for which a substantial number of unemployed persons could be engaged has been appropriated to the present time; why no grant can be made in respect of works commenced before the establishment of the Grants Committee; and why no grant is made in respect of labour engaged on works in progress subsequent to the establishment of the committee?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINI am informed that the committee have already allocated to local authorities the sum of £640,000. The committee are empowered to make grants of 60 per cent. of the wages bill of additional men taken on for work on approved schemes. The funds at the disposal of the Committee are not intended to relieve local authorities from charges already undertaken but to increase the number of men employed. The committee have, as a matter of fact, made grants in aid of schemes commenced before their appointment (20th December, 1920) and in progress subsequent to that date, provided that additional men could be employed.