§ 103 and 104. Mr. A. Lewisasked the Minister of Health (1) whether he will arrange for local authorities in the areas that suffered severe war damage in the late war, who have thereby lost a large amount of their rates and now have a rate of 25s. or more in the £, to obtain an interest-free loan on request to, and examination by, his Department,
(2) to state the local authorities which suffered severe war damage in their respective areas that now have a local rate of 25s. or more in the £; and what would be the estimated initial cost of granting them an interest-free loan of £50,000.
§ Mr. BevanThe only local authority concerned is West Ham County Borough Council. The estimated initial cost of the proposed loan would therefore be £50,000. I cannot at this stage make any commitment about the period after the present grant expires.