§ Mr. Ness Edwardsasked the Minister of Health whether it is in accord with the instructions of his Department that the public assistance committees should reduce amounts of public assistance by any allotment that may be voluntarily made by a son in the Armed Forces?
Mr. M. MacDonaldThe general effect of the Poor Law Acts is to require public assistance authorities in assessing the needs of an applicant for relief, to take into account every source of income. The exceptions to this general rule do not include income from the source to which the hon. Member refers.
§ Sir P. Hurdasked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that some public assistance committees, under the guidance of their medical officers, are still ordering potatoes for the hospitals to be machine-pared; and whether he will inform them that in the interests of economy and good dietary potatoes should be boiled in their skins?
§ Miss HorsbrughThe dietary of a public assistance institution is a matter for the decision of the authority after they have obtained the advice of the medical officer. My right hon. Friend is aware of the advantages of the method of cooking referred to by my hon. Friend and he is instructing his inspectors to give suitable advice on this matter to public assistance authorities as occasion arises in conjunction with certain other advice as to the best use of food in wartime.