§ Mr. BARKERasked the Minister of Health if he will consider the desirability of extending to urban authorities in distressed areas the same consideration given to councils under Clause 94 of the Local Government Bill, which enables the Minister to reduce the grant payable in any one year by such amount as he thinks just, in view of the great difficulty experienced in collecting sufficient sums to maintain the efficient condition of these areas suffering from the effects of long periods of unemployment?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINThe hon. Member seems to have confused two different1872W Clauses in the Local Government Bill, but I will assume that he has in mind the Clause for the mitigation of the liability for loans raised by Poor Law authorities which will be transferred to county and county borough councils on the appointed day. I regret that I am unable to recommend the extension of the concessions as regards Poor Law loans to loans raised by urban district councils for their own current expenditure, but in determining the amount of repayment to be required in any year from the district council full consideration will continue to be given to the financial position of the council.