asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health if he will instruct local authorities to start Christmas relief works earlier than is usual this year; further, if he will relax the conditions of employment on such schemes so as to enable the relief workers to have continual employment for the period before Christmas; and also, if he will direct that men employed on such schemes be paid weekly.

The employment schemes will be put in operation at an early date. The regulations governing employment on such schemes will provide that each worker will be given a full week's work. As regards the weekly payment of workers, I would refer the Deputy to my reply to a similar question on the 31st May, 1946.