§ Sir JOHN SPEARasked the President of the Local Government Board the amount of money paid by the Board to the several boards of guardians and sanitary authorities in England and Wales in part payment of salaries for the year 1889, and the amount so paid last year; and what was the total amount paid by these authorities in salaries in each respective year?
§ Mr. BURNSThe principal Grant to boards of guardians in respect of the salaries, etc., of officers is that paid to them in pursuance of Section 26 of the Local Government Act, 1888. It is a fixed Grant of about £967,000 a year, which has been paid since the year ended March, 1890, inclusive, and represents the sum expended by Poor Law authorities outside London on the salaries, etc., of officers and servants in the year ended March, 1888. In the year ended March, 1910, the cost of the Poor Law officers of the guardians was £1,795,000, but this figure is not exactly comparable with the figure mentioned above. I will furnish the hon. Member with a statement giving particulars of the minor Grants to boards of guardians on account of officers. As regards sanitary authorities, the only Grant is that in respect of the salaries of medical officers of health and sanitary inspectors or inspectors of nuisances. The amount of this Grant in the year ended March, 1889, was £75,500. In the year ended March, 1910, which is the last year for which complete figures are available, the Grant amounted to £180,000. In the former year this Grant was not payable in London. The Grant represents one-half of the salaries of the officers, but there are some cases in which the officer is appointed on such terms that a Grant does not become payable, and the amount of the salaries in these cases cannot be stated.