§ Mr. ALFRED DAVIES (Clitheroe)asked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been drawn to the conference convened by the Mayors of the Metropolitan boroughs to consider finance and housing; whether he is aware that his Department has refused leave to various Urban District Councils to pay delegates' fees to attend this conference; 1862W and whether he will state the reason for this objection?
§ Dr. ADDISONThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. It appeared from the programme that the conference would be concerned with general proposals involving fresh legislation, rather than with the existing duties of local authorities; and, in accordance with the practice in such cases, it was intimated that the Department were not prepared to sanction the payment of delegates' expenses out of the rates.