§ 39 and 40. Mr. MANDERasked the Minister of Labour (1) the amount that would be required to increase the children's allowance under unemployment benefit from 2s. to 4s.;
(2) the amount that would be required to restore the 10 per cent, cut in unemployment benefit made in 1931?
§ Mr. R. S. HUDSONIt is estimated that with the present number of claimants for insurance benefit, the cost of increasing the benefit allowance for child dependants from 2s. to 4s. would be about £3,300,000 per annum and the cost of restoring the rates of benefit generally to those in force before October, 1931, would be about £5,500,000 per annum. These figures do not include transitional payments.
§ Mr. MANDERDoes not my hon. Friend think that some of the Budget surplus might appropriately have been used for such a purpose as this?