§ 14. Sir ARTHUR STEEL-MAITLANDasked the Minister of Labour what number, if any, of the figures of persons on the live register published on 26th March, 1930, is due, or estimated to be due, to changes in the law or administration of unemployment insurance since 1st June, 1929?
§ Miss BONDFIELDIt is estimated that the total on the registers of Employment Exchanges in Great Britain at 17th March, 1930, included between 40,000 and 50,000 persons brought on to the register as the result of legislative and administrative changes which have become operative since 1st June, 1929.
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDCan the right hon. Lady give us some idea of the basis on which that calculation is made?
§ Miss BONDFIELDYes, to this extent: I have calculated that legislative 576 changes account for 35,000 to 40,000 and administrative changes from 5,000 to 10,000. These are largely due to the operations of the board of assesors.
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDWill the figures that are caused either by legislative or administrative changes form a deduction from the number of people previously recorded as being on the two-months file?
§ Miss BONDFIELDThose that were not registered will not be on the two months file. They will he separately assessed.
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDThe right hon. Lady has misunderstood me. There are always recorded at the end of the month a number of persons, generally from 70,000 to 90,000, on the two-months file whose names do not come on the live register. Will any of those 50,000 consist of people who would otherwise have been upon the two-months file, but who now come on the live register?
§ Miss BONDFIELDYes; I calculate 35,000 to 40,000.
§ Mr. ERNEST BROWNCan the right hon. Lady say whether all these persons are entitled to benefit, or not?
§ Miss BONDFIELDNo; it is not possible until the court of referees have heard the cases.