§ Mr. BUCHANANasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has made inquiry into the case of the complaint regarding the case of Mrs. Wilson, 303, Thistle Street, Glasgow, against the Greenock Public Assistance Committee; and, if so, with what result?
§ Sir A. SINCLAIRI am informed that the amount of aliment payable by the Greenock Public Assistance Authority to Mrs. Wilson has been increased from 7s. 6d. to 15s. per week.
§ Mr. McGOVERNasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware that public assistance committees in Scotland do not in all cases make 7s. 6d. allowance to insured persons when in receipt of Poor Law assistance; and if he will take steps to see that such money is not taken into account when fixing scales?
§ Sir A. SINCLAIRA circular was issued by the Scottish Board of Health on 22nd October, 1920, to Poor Law authorities in Scotland drawing their attention to the statutory provision which requires that, when considering applications for poor relief, they shall not take into consideration any benefit under the Health Insurance Acts except so far as such benefit exceeds 7s. 6d. a2092W week. From time to time the Department of Health have had reason to doubt whether all Poor Law authorities in Scotland were paying due regard to this requirement and occasionally the Department's general inspectors have, in the course of investigation, had to call the attention of authorities to the terms of the statute. If the hon. Member will furnish me with particulars of any individual case in which an authority have disregarded the statutory provision referred to, I shall have inquiries made.