§ Mr. W. THORNEasked the Minister of Health if he is prepared to grant the application of the Camberwell Board of Guardians for a loan in consequence of the guardians requiring £227,000 to carry on for the next six months, an increase 907W of £132,000 compared with the corresponding period last year; and whether he is aware that this increase is caused owing to the large number of unemployed able-bodied men having run out of benefits at the Employment Exchange and consequently having to apply to the guardians for out-door relief, and that a year ago 2,946 able-bodied persons were relieved at a cost of £485 and last week 5,506 persons were being given assistance at a cost to the ratepayers of £1,410, which has resulted in the number of persons receiving relief being nearly doubled and the amount of relief nearly trebled?
§ Sir K. WOODMy right hon. Friend has not yet received an application from the guardians, and he must not be taken as accepting the suggestion in the latter part of the question.
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