§ Mr. Edeasked the Minister of Health which six of the counties or county boroughs have the highest and which six have the lowest public assistance rates, calculated as pence in the £ for the current year?
§ Mr. Elliot:The six administrative counties or county boroughs in England and Wales which, in 1938–39, have the highest estimated requirements for public assistance, expressed as a rate in the £, are:
- *Merthyr Tydfil County Borough.
- Glamorgan Administrative County.
- Monmouth Administrative County.
- *West Ham County Borough.
- Gateshead County Borough.
- Sunderland County Borough.
The six administrative counties and county boroughs in England and Wales which, in 1938–39, have the lowest estimated requirements for public assistance, expressed as a rate in the £ are:
- Blackpool County Borough.
- Bournemouth County Borough.
- Surrey Administrative County.
- Southport County Borough.
- Westmorland Administrative County.
- Middlesex Administrative County.
In the compilation of these lists no account has been taken of the block grants which are applicable in 'aid of local government services generally and cannot be apportioned to individual services.
* In these two areas rates are levied half-yearly: the rate in the pound for public assistance in 1938–39 has been taken as double that shown for the first half of the year.