§ 29. Mr. BATEYasked the Minister of Labour the number of persons under the means test who have been unemployed for one year, for two years, for three years, for four years, and for five years and over, up to the latest available date, in the county of Durham, including the boroughs?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the MINISTRY of LABOUR (Lieut.-Colonel Muirhead)As the reply includes a number of figures I will, if I may, circulate a statement in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Captain Sir WILLIAM BRASSWill the Parliamentary Secretary remember this when making the draft regulations?
§ Lieut.-Colonel MUIRHEADI will remember all relevant facts.
§ Following is the reply:
§ Employment Exchanges in the County of Durham (including the Boroughs).
§ Numbers of insured persons in receipt of Unemployment Allowances at 27th May, 1935, who had been continuously on the registers for the undermentioned periods.
| Period. | Number. |
| 1 year but less than 2 years | 13,188 |
| 2 years but less than 3 years | 10,581 |
| 3 years but less than 4 years | 10,668 |
| 4 years but less than 5 years | 9,400 |
| 5 years or more | 3,055 |
§ A proportion of these persons will have had one or more short spells of employment lasting not more than three days 18 each within these periods of unemployment.
§ 30. Mr. BATEYasked the Minister of Labour the amount paid per week in the county of Durham, including the boroughs, by the present administration of the means test; and the amount which would be paid if the recipients received unemployment standard benefit?
§ Lieut. - Colonel MUIRHEADThe amount of unemployment assistance allowances paid at local offices of the Ministry in the County of Durham, including the boroughs, in the week ended 28th June, 1935, was about £97,000. The amount which would have been paid to the recipients by way of unemployment benefit is not known and could not be ascertained without an examination as to eligibility and a computation in each individual case, which I should not feel justified in undertaking.
§ Mr. BATEYHave not the Ministry of Labour given an estimate before of what has been paid under the means test. If they have done it before, why cannot they do it now?
§ Lieut.-Colonel MUIRHEADI could not answer that question without notice.
§ Mr. BATEYDid not the late Minister of Labour give an answer to the effect that £15,000,000 a year had been saved, £45,000,000 in three years. If the late Minister of Labour could give an answer like that, why cannot an answer be given now?
§ Lieut.-Colonel MUIRHEADI do not think that I can be expected to answer that question without notice.
§ 31. Mr. BATEYasked the Minister of Labour the weekly cost for the present administration of the means test in the county of Durham, including the boroughs; and the estimated weekly cost for administration if standard benefit was being paid?
§ Lieut.-Colonel MUIRHEADSeparate accounts to show the cost of the administration of unemployment assistance and unemployment benefit by areas are not kept. I regret, therefore, that the information for which the hon. Member asks is not available.
§ Mr. T. SMITHIs it not necessary to keep separate statements on this matter in view of its importance, in order that proper conclusions may be drawn?
§ Mr. BATEYWhen the Commissioners were in Durham we were told what they cost. Why cannot we be told the cost to-day when they are occupying the Commissioners' office?
§ Lieut.-Colonel MUIRHEADI have told the hon. Member that the information for which he asks is not available.
§ 32. Mr. STOREYasked the Minister of Labour the number of insured workers in the general engineering, marine engineering, and building industries registered as unemployed at the Sunderland, Pallion, and Southwick-on-Wear Employment Exchanges at the latest convenient date; and what percentage these figures represent of the insured workers in these industries registered at those exchanges?
§ Lieut.-Colonel MUIRHEADI am having the figures extracted and will circulate a statement in the OFFICIAL REPORT as soon as possible.