§ 41. Mr. D. G. SOMERVILLEasked the Minister of Health how the average Poor Law out-door relief grant to husband and wife compares with the payment made to both under the Unemployment Insurance Act, 1929, assuming that the man is unemployed and qualified to receive benefit and his wife is not, and also assuming that both are unemployed and qualified to receive benefit?
§ Mr. GREENWOODIf the Unemployment Insurance Bill becomes law, the position as regards unemployment benefit will be as follows. In the first case postulated by the hon. Member the man will receive 17s. a week or, if he is entitled to additional dependant's benefit in respect of his wife, 26s. In the second case, the man will receive 17s. a week and his wife 15s., totalling; 32s. As regards outdoor relief, it is a principle of Poor Law administration that the relief granted to any applicant should be assessed on the applicants needs. The use of scales is optional and they do not require my approval. Scales, if adopted, can only be properly used as a general guide and their application would depend upon the practice of individual boards of guardians. I regret, therefore, that no comparable figures are available.