§ Sir J. Smedley Crookeasked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been called to the practice of many public assistance committees who, although disregarding the statutory amounts of National Health Insurance benefit and/or disability pension while the applicant is at home, take such amount into consideration as family income, and deduct from sick allowance when a patient is sent to a convalescent home or hospital, thus depriving him of 1905W personal benefit; and whether, as in many instances there is a consequential disproportionate reduction in the family income resulting in hardship, he will take steps to instruct these committees to cease such practice?
§ Mr. BernaysMy hon. Friend's question involves legal questions on which my right hon. Friend has no power to give instructions to local authorities. I am not aware that the practice of local authorities is giving rise to hardship, but if my hon. Friend has any particular case in mind, I shall be glad to make inquiries into it and communicate with him in due course.