§ Mr. SHEPHERDasked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been called to the variations that already are developing in the powers of vagrancy committees, including three varieties of financial basis, some with executives with power to co-opt, and some with power to pay travelling expenses; and whether he can take steps to prevent variations which will tend to hinder greater coordination?
§ Mr. GREENWOODThe answer to the first part of my hon. Friend's question is in the affirmative. I am anxious, however, that to the greatest extent possible the combination of counties and county boroughs for the administration of the relief of the casual poor shall be effected by voluntary agreement of the councils concerned in accordance with the provisions of Sub-section (1) of Section 3 of the Poor Law Act, 1930, and I am unwilling to interfere with the discretion of councils unless it is clear that their arrangements are prejudicial to effective co-ordination.