§ Mr. WESTWOODasked the Under-Secretary to the Scottish Board of Health what were the amounts of grants paid to Scottish local authorities for child-welfare schemes under the 50 per cent. basis of payment in 1920 to 1921, and 1921 to 1922; what was the total expenditure in 1922 to 1923, and what grants paid, with the percentage of grant to total expenditure; and will he consider restoring the payment of grant on a percentage basis instead of the present system of a block grant?
§ Mr. F. C. THOMSONThe amount of grant paid to Scottish local authorities in respect of expenditure under schemes of maternity service and child welfare in the local authority year 1920–21 was £90,532, being 50 per cent. of approved expenditure. The corresponding figure for 1921–22 cannot be stated precisely as final payments have not in all cases been made, but may be. taken as approximately £230,800, representing 50 per cent. of approved expenditure except as regards expenditure on the provision of food and milk, the grant for which, after due intimation to local authorities on 13th March, 1922, was withdrawn in respect of the period from 1st April, 1922, to the end of the local authority financial year in May, 1922. The total expenditure of local authorities in the year ending in May. 575W 1923, cannot yet be given, nor can the grant thereon be stated. I have no reason to anticipate, however, that it will be necessary to reduce the rate of grant below 50 per cent. of approved expenditure, apart from food and milk expenditure, for which a definite limit of grant has been fixed. The percentage basis has not been departed from except as regards this one branch of the service which had developed on lines and to amounts never contemplated in the original schemes.