HC Deb 11 June 1936 vol 313 cc361-2
1. Sir WILLIAM JENKINS

asked the Minister of Labour the cost of administration of transitional payments for the final 12 months of its administration by county and county borough authorities and the cost for the first 12 months of its administration by the Unemployment Assistance Board, and the costs separately on each for the county of Glamorgan?

The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the MINISTRY of LABOUR (Lieut.-Colonel Muirhead)

The total cost of administration of transitional payments in the 12 months ended 31st December, 1934, prior to the first appointed day, was about £3,500,000, including about £780,000 paid to public assistance authorities in respect of additional administrative expenditure incurred by them. In the ensuing 12 months, the total cost of administration of unemployment allowances was about £4,250,000 of which about £1,700,000 was incurred by the Unemployment Assistance Board, including the cost of ancillary services rendered to the board by Government Departments and accruing liability in respect of superannuation allowances, the greater part of the balance being in respect of services rendered by the Ministry of Labour. Corresponding figures for the county of Glamorgan are not available, but the sum paid to public assistance authorities in respect of their additional administrative expenses under the transitional payments scheme in the 12 months ended 31st December, 1934, was about £25,500.

Mr. LAWSON

Is the hon. and gallant Gentleman aware that this means an increase of £1,500,000 in the cost of administration of unemployment allowances? Would it not be much better to abolish the means test?

2. Sir W. JENKINS

asked the Minister of Labour the cost of transitional payments, apart from administration, in respect of the 12 months prior to the first appointed day, 7th June, 1935; the cost in respect of the ensuing period of 12 months for transitional payments and unemployment allowances; and the costs separately for the county of Glamorgan?

Lieut.-Colonel MUIRHEAD

The cost of transitional payments, apart from administration, in the 12 months ended 31st December, 1934, prior to the first appointed day, 7th January, 1935, was about £43,130,000, and the cost in the ensuing period of 12 months for transitional payments and unemployment allowances was about £42,600,000. Corresponding payments (excluding transitional payments made through associations) in the county of Glamorgan during the same periods were approximately £4,130,000 and £4,480,000 respectively.