§ 60. Mr. BARNESasked the President of the Board of Trade how many claims for unemployed benefit have been received up to 25th January throughout the United Kingdom and for each district separately; if he can state how many of these had been granted and refused, respectively, in each division and the time generally taken to come to a decision; and, if any, how many cases have been referred to the Courts of Referees or Umpire?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the BOARD of TRADE (Mr. J. M. Robertson)The number of claims for unemployment benefit made up to and including 25th January throughout the United Kingdom is 138,222. I will have a statement showing the number received in each of the eight divisions printed in the Votes. Decisions on claims will, it is hoped, be given, as a rule, within the first week of unemployment, in respect of which the workman is not entitled to benefit, and benefit will be paid on each Friday up to and including the previous Wednesday; that is to say, the workman will, as a rule, receive, on the following Friday, the first unemployment benefit to which he may be entitled up to any Wednesday. This will be the general rule in future, but for obvious reasons it has not been possible to adhere to it in all cases with respect to the first mass of applications. As regards the other portions of the question, information is not yet complete, but I will send it to my hon. Friend as soon as it is available. [See Written Answers of this date]
§ Mr. BARNESWill the information be printed as a matter of course, or will I have to put down another question?
§ Mr. ROBERTSONGenéral statistics will be available, but it depends upon the desirability of the information that is to be given. I will investigate the matter.
61. Mr. WORTHINGTON-EVANSasked whether an insured painter, under Part II. of the Act, who has duly paid twenty-six weekly contributions and has had added in respect of past employment twenty-five contributions, who on the 13th January declared on the unemployment fund and declared off on the 25th January is entitled to unemployment benefit; and, if so, to how much, no question having been raised as to disqualification?
§ Mr. ROBERTSONIn the circumstances described by the hon. Member the workman (assuming him to have been unemployed and to have signed the unemployed register as required from the 13th to the 25th January; both days inclusive) would be entitled to 7s. in respect of the six days of unemployment from 20th January to 25th January, and would receive payment on Friday, 31st January.
62. Mr. WORTH INGTON-EVANSasked whether on 25th January the official in charge of the Labour Exchange at Trowbridge informed an insured workman under Part II. of the Act that no funds were available to pay unemployment benefit until 31st January?
§ Mr. ROBERTSONI am causing inquiries to be made into the statement referred to by the hon. Member, and will communicate the result to him.