§ Mr. GROVESasked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the expressed desire of the West Ham Board of Guardians to grant one hundredweight of coal weekly throughout the year to those families who are chargeable to the union and the inability of his Department to sanction such relief on the grounds that the conditions of the loan 1282W under the Goschen Committee preclude such degree of relief, he will at an early date seek such powers from Parliament as are necessary to grant financial facilities to local boards of guardians in conformity with a scale which may be not extravagant but reasonably within measure of the needs of the people as understood and expressed by those persons elected to so serve as guardians?
§ Mr. WHEATLEYNo such further powers as my hon. Friend suggests are necessary. Assistance by way of loan can be given to any necessitous union in which the administration of relief is considered to be efficient and economical. In making recommendations for any further loan which may be required by the West Ham Board of Guardians, consideration will be given to the circumstances of the case after consultation with representatives of the Board.
§ Mr. GROVESasked the Minister of Health whether he has investigated the incidence of the effect of three years' unemployment upon the men of West Ham who to-day are chargeable to the Poor Law union; whether his Department has 1283W considered that the scale of relief granted in 1920 and 1921, when the clothing of these persons was good generally, is not now sufficient, as two or three years' Poor Law relief does not permit any replenishment whatever; and whether, if the West Ham Guardians have thorough and detailed examination of each case upon its merits, and grant clothing and boots where the same is imperatively necessary, he will consider this to be within the necessary scale of relief, and give sanction accordingly?
§ Mr. WHEATLEYAs I stated in reply to a previous question put by my hon. Friend, the discretion of the guardians in the grant of relief in kind has not been limited by any condition laid down by me.