asked the Minister of Health if he is now in a position to state the total expenditure on all forms of Poor Law relief for the year ended 31st March, 1933?

No, Sir. I am afraid that it will be a long time before my right hon. Friend will have received from the local authorities the particulars on which a definite reply or even a valid estimate could be based.

Will the hon. Gentleman be able to give a definite answer before the end of the Session?

I am afraid not. I am afraid that I misled the hon. Gentleman last time. We received last March the actual expenditure in respect of the previous year.

Can we get it when we meet again, seeing how necessary these figures are in connection with the discussions that will take place an unemployment insurance? Will he at least see that the hon. Gentleman gets the figures when we meet after the Recess?

We shall not get the items of actual expenditure till early in the new year.

Is it not very necessary, in view of the important discussions on unemployment insurance, to get at least some basis of figures when the new Bill is introduced after the Recess?

I will consider that.