§ 4. Lord SCONEasked the Minister of Labour if he will state, to the nearest convenient date, the number of those who have had their claims for transitional payments examined by the public assistance committee for Perthshire; how many have been granted full benefit; how many partial benefit; and how many have been entirely disallowed?
§ The MINISTER of LABOUR (Sir Henry Betterton)Between 12th November, 1931, and 20th February, 1932, the public assistance committee for Perthshire (i.e., excluding the large burgh of Perth which is a separate authority) gave determinations on 716 applications for transitional payments. In 20 cases payment was allowed at the maximum benefit rates and in 560 cases at lower rates, while in 136 cases the needs of applicants were held not to justify payments being made. The figures include revisions and renewals of determinations and the number of separate individuals concerned is not available.
§ 13. Mr. BATEYasked the Minister of Labour the total number of unemployed in the County of Durham whose cases have been investigated by the public assistance committees; the amount of money which has been saved per week; and the cost per week for this additional administration?
§ Sir H. BETTERTONAs the reply is long and contains a number of figures, I will, if I may, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Following is the reply:
§ Between 12th November, 1931, and 20th February, 1932, public assistance committees in the County of Durham (including county boroughs) gave determinations on 223,671 applications for transitional payments. In 181,839 cases payment was allowed at the maximum benefit rates and in 34,794 cases at lower rates, while in 7,038 cases the needs of applicants were held not to justify payments being made. The figures include revisions and renewals of determinations and the number of separate individuals concerned is not available. As regards the saving, I hope to be able in due course to make an estimate for the country as a whole but I doubt very much whether it will be possible to do this for particular areas with any sufficient degree of reliability. The amount of the additional administrative cost is not yet available.
§ 17. Mr. LUNNasked the Minister of Labour if he will state how many of the 350,000 who have been turned down by the public assistance committees for any transitional payment whatever may be added to the total of 2,701,173 unemployed persons on 22nd February last?
§ Sir H. BETTERTONNo, Sir. The total number of cases does not represent separate individuals because it includes a considerable number of cases dealt with on review. Further it is known that about 130,000 of those whose applications for transitional payments were unsuccessful are maintaining registration, and that the majority of the remainder have found employment.
§ Mr. LUNNIs it not the fact that a considerable number of the 200,000, who are not signing, might be added to the 2,700,000?
§ Sir H. BETTERTONNo, Sir. I cannot accept that as a statement of fact.
§ Mr. THORNECan the right hon. Gentleman give us any idea of what becomes of these thousands of cases who are refused any unemployment benefit?
§ Sir H. BETTERTONThere is no doubt at all that a considerable number of them find employment, and that is shown by the figures on the register.
§ Mr. THORNEIs that in accordance with the 30,000 jump of last month?
§ Sir H. BETTERTONNo, the hon. Gentleman is wrong. The figures went down.
5. Mr. PRICEasked the Minister of Labour how many applications for transitional benefit have been dealt with at Halifax by the local public assistance committee to the latest available date; and how many claims have been rejected, how many were granted full benefit, and how many were granted half or part benefit?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the MINISTRY of LABOUR (Mr. R. S. Hudson)Between 12th November, 1931, and 20th February, 1932, the Halifax public assistance committee gave determinations on 4,878 applications for transitional payments. In 1,852 cases payment was allowed at the maximum benefit rates, and in 1,676 cases at lower rates, while in 1,350 eases the needs of applicants were held not to justify payments being made. The figures include revisions and renewals of determinations, and the number of separate individuals concerned is not available.
§ 6. Mr. THORNE(for Mr. HICKS) asked the Minister of Labour if he will state the total average weekly amount by which unemployment transitional benefit has been reduced in the administrative county of London as a result of the decisions of the district sub-committees of the London County Council public assistance committee; and the total average weekly amount now being paid?
§ Mr. HUDSONI hope in due course to be able to make an estimate of this saving for the country as a whole, but I doubt very much whether it will be possible to do this for particular areas with any sufficient degree of reliability. The average weekly amount of transitional payments paid at Exchanges in the county of London for the four weeks ended 29th February, 1932, was £35,379.
§ 14. Mr. T. WILLIAMSasked the Minister of Labour if he can state how many mine-workers are at present in receipt of transition payments; how many have had their payments reduced; and how many have failed to sustain a claim for any benefits?
§ Mr. HUDSONI regret that such statistics are not available for separate industries.
§ 15. Mr. WILLIAMSasked the Minister of Labour if he will state how many persons who have been in receipt of transitional payments and who have appeared before courts of referees for the quarterly review have been disallowed such payments during the months of January and February, 1932?
§ Mr. HUDSONThere are no separate statistics of this kind for cases dealt with on quarterly review, and I can only give the total, including both original applications and review cases. During January and February, 1932, 26,342 applications for transitional payments were disallowed by courts of referees in Great Britain on the ground that the applicants were not normally insurable and/or would not normally seek to obtain a livelihood by means of insurable employment.