§ 7. Mr. Grenfellasked the Minister of Labour the number of persons receiving standard benefit and Unemployment Assistance Board allowances, with the aggregate amounts, respectively, in the Wales division; and whether he will consider the possibility of increasing the amounts paid in order to compensate for the increasing cost of the necessities of life?
Mr. BrownAs the reply to the first part of the question includes a number of figures, I will, if I may, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT. In reply to the second part of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply to the hon. Members for Doncaster (Mr. Short) and Greenock (Mr. R. Gibson) on 8th April, of which I am sending him a copy.
§ Following is the reply:
§ Table showing the numbers of payments of unemployment benefit and un- employment allowances made direct through Employment Exchanges in the Wales Division during the week ended 20th March, 1937, and the approximate amounts paid.
| Number of payments. | Approximate amount paid. | |
| *Unemployment Benefit: | £ | |
| General Scheme | 51,982 | 50,855 |
| Agricultural Scheme | 747 | 585 |
| Unemployment Allowances. | 89,363 | 117,097 |
| * Exclusive of payments made through associations, for which a geographical analysis is not available. |