asked the Minister of Reconstruction whether his attention has been called to the Report made by a Departmental Committee on the Reconstruction of the Poor Law; whether he will give the names of the Committee and say how many of them had any practical knowledge of the Poor Law or its administration; whether the Committee took any evidence before proceeding to its Report; if so, what were the names of the witnesses; if not, what was the reason for this course; whether the Committee recommended the transfer of the functions of the boards of guardians to county and borough councils; and whether that recommendation was accompanied by any estimate of its financial consequences.?

I have received from the Committee referred to a Report on the transfer of the functions of Poor Law authorities in England and Wales. The membership of the Committee will be set out in a White Paper which will, I hope, be available to Members this week, and of which I will send the hon. Member a copy. As regards the remainder of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to the Report of the Committee, for the publication of which I am hoping to arrange without delay.