§ 5. Mr. HICKSasked the Minister of Labour the cost to his Department during the financial year ended March, 1933, of the reimbursement to public assistance authorities in respect of emoluments, office accommodation, and incidental expenses, such as postage and stationery; and what has been the additional staff cost in his Department arising out of the operation of the transitional payments scheme for the same year?
§ 9. Mr. BANFIELDasked the Minister of Labour the cost to his Department during the financial year ended March, 1933, of the reimbursement to public assistance authorities in respect of emoluments, office accommodation, and incidental expenses, such as postage, stationery, etc., repectively; and what 1640 has been the additional staff cost in his Ministry arising out of the operation of the transitional payment scheme for the same year?
§ Sir H. BETTERTONGrants to public assistance authorities in respect of additional expenses incurred by them by reason of the duties imposed by the Unemployment Insurance (National Economy) (No. 2) Order, 1931, amounted in the financial year 1932–33 to approximately £640,000. The cost in respect of administration by commissioners in certain areas, including staff, premises and other expenses, in the same period was approximately £22,000. The additional staff cost in the Ministry of Labour resulting from the transitional payments scheme cannot be given precisely but is estimated to have been in the neighbourhood of £200,000.
Captain CROOKSHANKIs the £22,000 to which the right hon. Gentleman referred for the administration by the commissioners additional to what would otherwise have been payable by the local authority?
§ Sir H. BETTERTONNo It covers the whole cost of administration by the commissioners, and includes sums which would otherwise have been paid.
§ Mr. BATEYAre we to understand that the cost for the commissioners is only £22,000 when the right hon. Gentleman gave £14,000 as the cost for one quarter?
§ Sir H. BETTERTONMy answer is the answer to the question on the Paper. It will be observed that I am asked the cost of the commissioners up to the end of the financial year. That is, of course, the period from December to the end of March.