HC Deb 29 April 1925 vol 183 cc152-3
19. Mr. HANNON

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is prepared to issue an order to the local unemployment committees that, in future, a record must be kept of all aliens in receipt of ordinary and extended benefit; and whether he can state the number of aliens at present in receipt of such benefits?

Sir A. STEEL-MAITLAND

I am arranging to obtain a monthly return over a certain period of the number of aliens in receipt of extended benefit. It would considerably increase the expense to include standard benefit also, and apart from the expense, I do not think I should be justified in making the inquiries which would be necessary for this purpose. As stated in a reply given to the han. and gallant Member for Luton on 25th March, the total number of aliens in receipt of benefit in November last is estimated at about 3,000.

Mr. HANNON

Is the Ministry of Labour taking every possible care to prevent aliens occupying positions which ought to be occupied by British working men?

Mr. MARCH

Can the right hon. Gentleman say how many aliens are receiving unemployment benefit who have not contributed to unemployment insurance?

Sir A. STEEL-MAITLAND

In the first place, we are taking every care that employment, so far as possible, should be made available for our own people. As regards contributions to unemployment benefit, one of the reasons why I made a distinction in my answer was that, apart from the administrative difficulty, there was also the difficulty of this extended benefit.

Mr. MARCH

That does not answer my question. I want to know if any aliens are receiving benefit who have not paid contributions?

Sir A. STEEL-MAITLAND

I should imagine that there are, but the reason why I cannot answer the question with absolute certainty is that I had a very extended examination made of some 10,000 cases in November last, and judging by the sample which I found then one can expect that there will be a certain number of aliens in receipt of benefit. I want to get the exact figures and that is the reason for the answer which I have given to my hon. Friend.