Colonel NEWMANasked the Minister of Health whether he is aware of the difficult position in which boards of guardians are placed in consequence of the Relief Regulation Order, 1911, what is known as the Merthyr Tydfil judgment, and the vague replies which have been sent by the Ministry of Health to boards who are in doubt as to whether they can expend the money of the ratepayer in supporting men or the wives and families of men who declare themselves to be on strike or consider that they have been locked out of their ordinary employment; and will he bring in a short Bill to let the 1733W ratepayer know his position and provide against the danger of members of boards of guardians being surcharged through their inadvertence of the law?
§ Sir A. MONDI do not think there would be any advantage in further legislation on the lines suggested. Boards of guardians are generally well aware of the Judgment of the Court in the Merthyr Tydfil case, and the difficulty with which they are confronted is not that of interpreting the law, but of ascertaining the facts in the particular cases which come before them.
§ Sir C. OMANasked the Minister of Health whether, in any Bill which the Government introduces for the transfer of the functions of Poor Law authorities in England and Wales, he will preserve the legal rights of destitute and necessitous persons to relief given by 43 Eliz., c. 2 (The Poor Law Relief Act, 1601)?
§ Sir A. MONDIn the event of any proposals being made for legislation transferring the functions of boards of guardians to other authorities, this point would not be lost sight of.