§ Mr. MACLEANasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware that the Glasgow Parish Council is paying £30,000 per year in maintaining the wives and families of men who have emigrated; and whether the Government are prepared to relieve this and other parish councils and boards of guardians from this burden?
§ Sir J. GILMOURI am aware that Glasgow Parish Council is paying approximately £35,000 per annum in poor relief in respect of the wives and families of men who have left Scotland to look for work abroad, and who either neglect or are unable to send sufficient money to maintain their dependants in this country. The maintenance of necessitous families whom men have left unprovided for has always been part of the ordinary duties of parish councils under the Poor Law Acts, and while the expenditure at present may be abnormally high, I can see no reason for differentiating it from any other expenditure on poor relief.