HC Deb 30 May 1935 vol 302 cc1274-5
1. Mr. MANDER

asked the Minister of Labour whether it is proposed to submit the new regulations of the Unemployment Assistance Board before the House adjourns for the summer Recess, or to continue the stand-still arrangement indefinitely; and whether the Board has submitted new regulations, officially or unofficially?

The MINISTER of LABOUR(Mr.Oliver anley)

I would refer the hon. Member to the replies given by my hon. Friend to the hon. Member for Kilmarnock (Mr. K. Lindsay) on 22nd May, to which at present I have nothing to add.

6. Mr. GEORGE HALL

asked the Minister of Labour the weekly cost of assistance under the Unemployment Assistance Board in Glamorganshire and Monmouthshire since 7th January last to the latest available date; and the estimated weekly cost caused by the standstill arrangement?

Mr. STANLEY

I will publish the information for which the hon. Member asks in the first part of the question in the OFFICIAL REPORT as soon as it can be extracted from the records, but I would remind him of the reply to his question on 21st February last. I regret that the information for which he asks in the second part of the question is not available.

Mr. HALL

Surely, the right hon. Gentleman has in his possession information which would enable him to make some estimate of the cost?

Mr. STANLEY

The hon. Member will appreciate that an estimate can only be arrived at by means of samples, and, although by that means we can arrive at a reliable figure for the country as a whole, I could not guarantee the reliability of a figure for a particular district. It might be that the samples in that district were not wide enough to make the estimate reliable.

7. Mr. HALL

asked the Minister of Labour the amount paid in Glamorganshire and Monmouthshire as retrospective payment as the result of the standstill arrangement under which the Unemployment Assistance Board regulations were suspended; and the amounts for each county separately

Mr. STANLEY

The amounts paid in respect of "arrears" of unemployment assistance allowances under the provisions of the Unemployment Assistance (Temporary Provisions) Act, 1935, were about £14,250 in Glamorganshire and £3,950 in Monmouthshire.