§ Sir B. CHADWICKasked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that the 1006W Barrow-in-Furness Corporation have submitted to the Ministry for their approval a scheme for the exercise by the council of their powers under Section 2 of the Blind Persons Act, 1920, which the Ministry have approved of generally, but are withholding their formal approval thereto, and insisting on the council delegating certain of their powers and duties under the Act to a local voluntary organisation; that the attitude of the Ministry, which is inconsistent with the provisions of the Blind Persons Act, is holding up the scheme and preventing the blind persons in the borough from obtaining the benefits of the Act; and will he reconsider the matter with a view to the approval of the scheme?
§ Sir A. MONDThe facts are generally as stated in the first part of the question. But I cannot admit that the action taken by my Department is either inconsistent with the provisions of the Act or detrimental to the interests of the blind persons in the borough. The council proposed to erect and to maintain a workshop at an estimated cost of£1,750 per annum, but I have suggested to them that their object could be more economically and efficiently secured by assisting the local voluntary agency in making the necessary provision.