§ Sir C. OMANasked the Minister of Health what was the number of persons authorised to give relief to destitute persons, whether in the workhouse, casual ward, or otherwise, before the passing of the Overseers Act, and what, is the number now; whether he has received appeals from boards of guardians to authorise individual guardians of parishes or the chairman of the parish council or meeting to give relief, not in money, in certain cases of emergency; and, if so, what was the number of appeals?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINI regret that the information sought in the first part of the question is not available. As my hon. Friend is aware, overseers, who had power to grant relief and in very rare instances indeed exercised that power, ceased to exist on the operation of the Rating and Valuation Act, 1925. As regards the remainder of the question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to a similar question put by my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Tiverton (Lieut.-Colonel AclandTroyte) on the 7th instant, of which I am sending him a copy.