§ Mr. G. Macdonaldasked the Minister of Health the total amount granted by the Lancashire public assistance committees to old age pensioners during the last 12 months for which figures are available, giving seperate figures for the Wigan county area?
§ Mr. ElliotInformation in the exact form desired by the hon. Member is not available, but the estimated annual cost of out-relief to old age pensioners and their dependants falling to be met out of rates and the block grants is about £760,000 for the Administrative County of Lancaster, together with the 17 associated county boroughs. For the county borough of Wigan the estimated cost is about £12,000. Returns relating to public assistance are made to me only for administrataive counties and county boroughs and I cannot therefore give a figure for a part of the area of the administrative county.