HC Deb 18 February 1932 vol 261 cc1793-4
5. Mr. PARKINSON

asked the Minister of Labour the latest figures available from the Wigan Employment Exchange stating the number of cases dealt with by the public assistance committee for transitional payments; how many have received full benefits; how many less than full benefits; and how many were totally disallowed?

Sir H. BETTERTON

Between 12th November, 1931, and 23rd January, 1932, the public assistance committee for the county borough of Wigan gave determinations on 10,047 applications for transitional payments. In 4,538 cases payment was allowed at the normal benefit rates, and in 4,131 cases at lower rates, while in 1,375 cases the needs of applicants were held not to justify payments being made. The figures include revisions and renewals of determinations, and the number of separate individuals concerned is not available.

9. Mr. LIDDALL

asked the Minister of Labour how many cases for transitional payments have been dealt with by the Lincoln Public Assistance Committee to the latest date for which figures are available; in how many cases have full benefits been allowed; in how many eases partial benefits; and how many applicants have failed to sustain any claim?

Sir H. BETTERTON

Between 12th November, 1931, and 23rd January, 1932, the Lincoln Public Assistance Committee gave determinations on 4,166 applications for transitional payments. In 3,328 cases payment was allowed at the normal benefit rates and in 667 eases at lower rates, while in 171 cases the needs of applicants were held not to justify payments being made. The figures include revisions and renewals of determinations, and the number of separate individuals concerned is not available.

16. Mr. J. P. MORRIS

asked the Minister of Labour the number of claims for transitional payments examined by the Salford Public Assistance Committee where the whole of a disability pension has been taken into account and those cases where only part of a disability pension has been taken into account?

Sir H. BETTERTON

I regret that there are no statistics on this point.

17. Mr. McENTEE

asked the Minister of Labour what is the percentage allowance made by the public assistance committee in London when dealing with men in receipt of disablement pensions who have applied for transitional benefit; and the number of cases in which the whole of the pension has been considered as part of the family income?

Sir H. BETTERTON

I am not in a position to furnish this information. As I have explained in answer to previous questions, an authority is required under the law to deal with these cases in the light of their individual circumstances, having particular regard to any extra need arising out of the disability, and I have no reason to believe that committees in London are not observing this principle.

Mr. LAWSON

Can the right hon. Gentleman tell us why he cannot give the figures asked for in this question?

Sir H. BETTERTON

I can tell the hon. Gentleman at once. It would involve my going to the public assistance committees and cross-examining them on every payment in order to ascertain the reasons why any particular allocation was made, and that I neither ought to do nor should I care to do it.