§ 22. Sir A. POWNALLasked the Minister of Labour what is the percentage of those shown in the weekly return as unemployed who are actually in receipt of benefit; and what was the comparable percentage two years ago?
§ Miss BONDFIELDSeparate statistics of the number of persons on the register actually in receipt of benefit are not available. Of the total number of persons on the registers of Employment Exchanges in Great Britain at 23rd February, 1931, 92.9 per cent. had claims to benefit admitted or under consideration, as compared with 86.0 per cent. at 25th February, 1929.
§ Sir A. POWNALLCan the right hon. Lady say why there has been an increase of 6 per cent. in those two figures?
§ Miss BONDFIELDIt is due to the increase of the numbers unemployed.