§ 6. Mr. EDEasked the Minister of Labour how many unemployed persons are registered at South Shields, and how many of these have drawn 26 or more weeks' benefit during the present benefit year, giving the figures for the last week for which both sets are available or for which a reliable estimate can be made?
§ 9. Mr. ISAACSasked the Minister of Labour how many of the present recipients of benefit at the Borough Employment Exchange are receiving transitional benefit; and if the whole of such cases are to be remitted to the public assistance committees for examination as to means?
§ 10. Mr. CECIL WILSONasked the Minister of Labour the number of persons receiving benefit at the Sheffield and Attercliffe Employment Exchanges, respectively, at the last available date and 1790 the number receiving transitional benefit; and whether he can give any estimate as to the number likely to be referred to the public assistance committee when the proposed change first comes into operation and also three months later?
§ 14. Mr. EDWARD WILLIAMSasked the Minister of Labour the number of persons in receipt of transitional benefit in Glamorganshire and Monmouthshire separately?
§ 16. Mr. CHARLES EDWARDSasked the Minister of Labour the number of unemployed in receipt of benefit in the counties of Monmouth and Glamorgan, separately; the average weekly amount paid to each insured person; the number of those in receipt of transitional benefit at present; and the estimated number of those who will have completed their standard benefit and passed to the transitional stage for the months of October, November and December, respectively?
§ 17. Mr. EGANasked the Minister of Labour how many unemployed men and women are receiving transitional benefit at Birkenhead Employment Exchange; and whether all those cases will be referred to the public assistance committee for a means test?
§ 19. Mr. MARSHALLasked the Minister of Labour the number of persons in the city of Sheffield receiving transitional benefit who will, under the new regulations, be referred to the public assistance committee for assessment of means?
§ 20. Mr. TOM SMITHasked the Minister of Labour the number of persons registered at Pontefract, Castleford and Goole Employment Exchanges at the latest available date; and the number who will be transferred to the public assistance committees for calculation of benefit when the new proposals come into operation?
§ 23. Major MILNERasked the Minister of Labour the number of persons (men, women, boys and girls) registered as unemployed in the city of Leeds to the latest convenient date, and the number who are at present in receipt of transitional benefit in the same area whose cases will be referred forthwith to the public assistance committee under the National Economy Act?
§ Sir H. BETTERTONI am having the figures extracted and hope to circulate the answers in the OFFICIAL REPORT to-morrow morning.
§ Mr. EDEHas the hon. Gentleman entered into communication with public assistance committees in places like South Shields to ascertain how long they think it will take them to deal with the application of a needs test to the large number of people involved?
§ Sir H. BETTERTONNo Sir, I have not.
§ Mr. R. RICHARDSONWill the hon. Gentleman give separately the numbers who reside outside the borough of South Shields and register there?
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYCan we have papers laid showing the facts in all the areas?
§ Sir H. BETTERTONI shall not only be very glad, but it will be my duty to give the figures after they have been extracted with regard to any areas, and, if the hon. and gallant Member desires, Hull.
§ Mr. T. SMITHCan the hon. Gentleman say whether public assistance committees in assessing the incomes of unemployed persons will take into account disability pensions; and whether he is aware that dissatisfaction exists in some branches of the British Legion regarding this matter?
§ Sir H. BETTERTONThere is another question on that point.
§ Mr. EDEWill the hon. Gentleman arrange that the figures shall he available for hon. Members to-morrow, so that they can take them to their constituencies where they have to meet public assistance committees?
§ Sir H. BETTERTONYes, I had that in mind. This involves a great deal of labour, but I will make every endeavour to get these figures into the OFFICIAL. REPORT by to-morrow morning.
§ 12. Mr. T. WILLIAMSasked the Minister of Labour how many unemployed persons will be transferred to the transition class as a result of the terms outlined in the White Paper 3952; and what will be the total number in the transition class according to the latest estimate?
§ 25. Mr. LAWSONasked the Minister of Labour the total number of persons on transition benefit, including those who will come on transition under the operation of the new 26 weeks benefit rule, whose cases will have to be investigated by the public assistance authorities?
§ Sir H. BETTERTONFigures obtained in respect of 14th September, 1931, show that on that date about 377,000 persons (of whom about 80,000 were women) in receipt of benefit other than transitional benefit had received 156 days' benefit or more in their current benefit years. In addition there were at 24th August, 1931, about 475,000 persons (of whom 101,000, were women) with claims authorised for transitional benefit. Tre total number in these two classes was therefore approximately 852,000 of whom 181,000 were women.
§ Mr. T. WILLIAMSHas any estimate been obtained of the cost of the inquisition into the means of these 900,000 people?
§ Sir H. BETTERTONThat is quite another question.
§ Mr. LAWSONHave any discussions taken place with the public assistance committees as to how they are going to handle these large numbers of people?
§ Sir H. BETTERTONWe have every reason to believe that the public assistance committees will be quite capable of dealing with the work.
§ Mr. WILLIAMSAre we to understand that the public assistance committees have been notified that the numbers will be approximately 900,000?
§ Sir H. BETTERTONThey will have been notified, because figures have already been given—the figure of 377,000 in reply to a question by the hon. Member for Chester-le-Street (Mr. Lawson) and the other figures, which are less than those estimated by my predecessor, have been given in the Ministry of Labour Gazette.
§ Mr. WILLIAMSHas any estimate of the cost of the inquisition been produced? If so, may we know the figure?
§ Sir H. BETTERTONNo, Sir, it is impossible at this stage to tell the cost.
§ Mr. LAWSONThis is a rather important matter, because we are laying a great burden on the public assistance committees, and probably at some cost to them. Has there been any direct communication with the public assistance committees as to whether they will agree to undertake these duties?
§ Sir H. BETTERTONI think I see now what is in the hon. Gentleman's mind. The additional cost to the public assistance committees will be borne by the Exchequer and not by the public assistance committees.
§ Mr. LOGANWill the hon. Gentleman guarantee that not co-opted members of the public assistance committees, but elected guardians shall deal with these cases?