HC Deb 08 February 1934 vol 285 cc1278-80
53. Mr. GODFREY NICHOLSON

asked the Minister of Health if he will cause full inquiries to be made into the circumstances surrounding the death of Mrs. Gwendoline Hickley, of Bolton Road, Hampstead, who committed suicide owing to starvation?

The MINISTER of HEALTH (Sir Hilton Young)

I have perused the Press reports on this most distressing case and have already made full inquiries into it. According to the information supplied to me, the facts are that Mr. Hickley was insured against unemployment under the Insurance Industry Special Scheme, which is administered by the Insurance Unemployment Board. He had been in receipt of benefit under that scheme at the rate of 32s. a week up to 6th January last, when his right to benefit was exhausted. His application for transitional payments under the scheme was assessed at 14s. 6d. by the claims officer of the board, subject to a right of appeal to its appeals committee. An appeal was lodged by him on 17th January and is at present before the committee. No application for public assistance has been made by Mr. Hickley.

Mr. NICHOLSON

Is my right hon. Friend aware that great criticisms are made of the insurance industry special scheme in regard to the administration of transitional payments, and that considerable uneasiness is being caused throughout the country by this very distressing case?

Sir H. YOUNG

In reply to my hon. Friend, I should make it clear that the insurance industry special scheme has contracted out of the Act and is not under the administration of any Government Department. The tragedy in this case was that there was no application to the public assistance committee.

Mr. NICHOLSON

What Minister can I ask for information about this particular scheme, or how can I get information about it?

Sir H. YOUNG

I should think any question of the sort my hon. Friend has in mind would go to my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour, but I should make it clear that, according to my understanding, the Ministry of Labour have no responsibility for the administration of the scheme. Its responsibility is confined under the Act to the appointment of the board.

Mr. BATEY

As officers of the Ministry of Health complain when a public assistance committee pays too much under the means test, will the right hon. Gentleman not ask the public assistance committee in this case why it reduced this man's benefit to such a low figure?

Sir H. YOUNG

The hon. Member is under a complete misunderstanding. There was no application to the public assistance committee in this case at all. I have said that the tragedy in the case was that there was no application to the public assistance committee.