§ Colonel VAUGHAN-MORGANasked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that by Section 4 of the Poor Law-Audit Act, 1848, any disallowance or surcharge can only be remitted by the Minister of Health if it appears that the subject matter thereof was incurred under such circumstances as to make it fair and equitable that the disallowance or surcharge should be remitted; and whether, in view of the terms of the Act, he will explain the reason which led him to remit surcharges made upon the Poplar Board of Guardians?
§ Mr. WHEATLEYI am aware of the statutory provision referred to, but I have not yet remitted any surcharges which have been made in the case of this board of guardians.
§ Colonel VAUGHAN-MORGANasked the Minister of Health why the scale of relief, etc., adopted by the Poplar Board of Guardians contrary to the Minister of Health's Regulations, January, 1922, has 80W been omitted from the Memorandum on the Rescission of the Poplar Order [Cmd. 2052], and a lower scale inserted, which was only adopted by the Poplar Board of Guardians in October last?
§ Mr. WHEATLEYA scale of relief which has for some time ceased to be in force was not regarded as material in a White Paper dealing with the circumstances of the rescission of the Order.
§ Mr. WELLSasked the Minister of Health the number of departures from the Poplar Order which have been reported by the Poplar Board of Guardians to the Ministry of Health in each week since the issue of the Poplar Order of June, 1922; and whether these departures from the Order have been made as cases of emergency under Section 52 of the Poor Law Amendment Act, 1834?
§ Mr. WHEATLEYI am sending the hon. Member the information for which he asks. The reports are made under the proviso to Section 52 of the Poor Law-Amendment Act, 1834, which contemplates that such reports should be made where the guardians have, in particular instances of emergency, departed from the provisions of an Order made under that Section.