HC Deb 15 September 1909 vol 10 cc2290-1W
Dr. HAZEL

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether he is aware that at recent revisions of the register of voters a number of electors in the borough of West Bromwich and elsewhere were disfranchised on the ground that they had received Poor Law relief, although they did not receive either indoor or outdoor relief, but worked for a wage, in some cases only for a day or two, in a labour yard established by a board of guardians; and whether he will consider the possibility of so altering the existing law as to prevent the disfranchisement of men who earn what they receive?

Mr. BURNS

I apprehend that, in the cases to which my hon. Friend refers, the men were set to work as a condition of receiving outdoor relief. In such cases they would not, have worked for a wage, but would be relieved according to their necessities. As regards the last part of the question, I may refer to the answer given yesterday by the Prime Minister to a similar question by the hon. Member for Sunderland, in which he said that whilst the state of things called for serious consideration, he could not give any undertaking as to the introduction of legislation in the immediate future.