§ Mr. JOHNSTONasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether his attention has been drawn to the case of a man of 51 years of age who has been unemployed for the past 15 months, searching in vain for work, who has been sleeping out in the open and has been accommodated at Tayport police office after being without food for several days; and what steps he can take to ensure that proper maintenance shall be provided for persons for whom no work can be found and who are without insurance benefit?
§ Sir J. GILMOURI am informed that on the 21st November John McLean, aged 51, came to the Tayport police office and1202W asked the officer in charge to get into touch with a friend in Dundee. He appears to have been about a week in Tayport, but during that time he was not without means and had in his possession a return railway ticket to Dundee, where his house is. As regards the last part of the question, it is open to any destitute unemployed person to make application to the parish council for poor relief, but I am informed that no such application was made by McLean.