§ 3. Mr. H. G. Williamsasked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that a Lancashire miner with a wife and six children was denied unemployment assistance on the ground that he had £15 in the Co-operative bank, and also that a Sunderland disabled ex-Service man with a wife and one child was denied unemployment assistance on the ground of the receipt of an Army pension of the amount of 30s.; whether particulars of these cases have been sent to him with a view to investigation; and under what authority assistance was refused?
§ Mr. E. BrownI understand that the cases to which my hon. Friend refers are among those quoted in a recent book en-titled "The Problem of the Distressed Areas," where they are stated to be based on material collected as long ago as 1932. I have no information about these cases, and can say with confidence that they have no relevance to current practice in the administration of unemployment allowances.
§ Mr. WilliamsIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that these statements were made on the authority of the well-known Communist leader Mr. Wal Hannington?
§ Mr. BrownI hope the question and the answer will help to correct any misrepresentation that has arisen.
§ 4. Mr. E. J. Williamsasked the Minister of Labour whether he will consult with the Unemployment Assistance Board with a view to extending the ambit of their recent instruction, so that the increased cost of the necessaries of life may be taken into consideration in making determinations for single men under the Unemployment Assistance Board's regulations?
§ Mr. BrownI am informed by the Unemployment Assistance Board that households consisting of a person living alone are regarded as eligible with others for consideration under the Board's recent instruction, but that increased allowances have, in fact, been granted in large numbers of such cases.
§ Mr. WilliamsIn view of the rise in the cost of living, is not the right hon. Gentleman prepared to recommend that the Unemployment Assistance Board should extend their regulations in regard to this matter?
§ 8. Mr. R. J. Taylorasked the Minister of Labour the number of applications received for special and additional assistance since the circular for giving the officers discretionary power to deal with such applications was sent out in the Blyth, Ashington, Bedlington and Morpeth areas, respectively; and how many applications have been granted?
§ Mr. BrownThe number of additions made to assessments on account of the 540 special circumstances dealt with in the Board's circular during the four weeks ended 30th November in the Board's administrative area of Blyth which includes Bedlington, Morpeth and Ashington, was 1,416. This total excludes cases in which the assessment already contains an equal or greater addition under the standstill arrangements. As regards applications, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Llanelly (Mr. J. Griffiths) on 18th November.
§ 9. Mr. Ellis Smithasked the Minister of Labour how many applications have been received for special and additional assistance, since the circular was issued which gave the officers discretion to deal with the growing needs of applicants for assistance, in the Stoke, Fenton, and Longton sections, respectively, of the Hanley administrative area of the Unemployment Assistance Board; and how many applications have been granted?
§ Mr. BrownThe number of additions made to assessments on account of the special circumstances dealt with in the Board's Circular during the four weeks ended 30th November in the Board's administrative area of Stoke-on-Trent which includes Fenton and Longton was 1,188. This figure excludes cases in which the assessment already contains an equal or greater addition under standstill arrangements. With regard to the number of applications, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave on 18th November to the hon. Member for Llanelly (Mr. J. Griffiths).
§ 12. Mr. Graham Whiteasked the Minister of Labour the number of cases in which the Unemployment Assistance Board have included with the needs of an applicant for an allowance a sum sufficient to enable him to make to a separated wife the remittance which he was making when he was in receipt of standard benefit?
§ Mr. BrownPrecise information in the form desired by the hon. Member is not available, but it is estimated that the number of cases where the unemployment allowance includes a sum in respect of separated dependants is about 5,000. This figures includes cases of children as well as of wives.
§ 20. Mr. Gallacherasked the Minister of Labour how many persons in receipt of standard unemployment benefit were in receipt of supplementary benefit from the 541 Unemployment Assistance Board on 15th April, 1937, 1st May, 1st June, 1st July, 1st August, 1st September, 1st October, 1st November, 1st December, or other convenient dates in each of these months?
§ Mr. BrownAs the reply includes a table of figures, I will circulate a statement in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Mr. James GriffithsDoes the right hon. Gentleman not think that the time has come for a revision of the unemployment benefit scales?
§ Mr. BrownI have already said that I do not, but as to the course of events during the next two months, I would not like to prophesy. It is a matter for the Statutory Committee.
§ Following is the statement:
§ The following table gives the information desired:
§ Payments of Unemployment Assistance Allowances in Supplementation of Insurance Benefit in Great Britain.
§ Week ended:
| 16th April, 1937 | … | 2,338 |
| 30th April, 1937 | … | 1,946 |
| 4th June, 1937 | … | 1,982 |
| 2nd July, 1937 | … | 1,962 |
| 23rd July, 1937 | … | 2,015 |
| 3rd September, 1937 | … | 2,165 |
| 1st October, 1937 | … | 2,509 |
| 29th October, 1937 | … | 3,320 |
| 12th November, 1937., | … | 4,103 |
§ 21. Mr. Gallacherasked the Minister of Labour how many unemployed persons in receipt of standard benefit, not normally entitled to supplementary benefit from the Unemployment Assistance Board, have, however, received such allowances in order to meet special circumstances?
§ Mr. BrownI regret that this information is not available. I am informed, however, that the number of current applications authorised for supplementation allowances on the register of the Unemployment Assistance Board increased by nearly 1,700 during the four weeks period of review, following the issue of the Board's recent circular, but it cannot be stated how many of these applications were due to the operation of that circular.
§ Mr. GallacherWill the Minister endeavour to get these figures, which would be of the very greatest value to the very 542 reliable leader of the unemployed, Mr. Wal Hannington?
§ Mr. BrownI pointed out in answer to a previous question that while Mr. Hannington may be reliable, those who draw deductions from what he said are likely to be very unreliable.
§ 22. Mr. Gallacherasked the Minister of Labour whether any steps have been taken to bring to the notice of unemployed persons on standard benefit their right to supplementary benefit in certain circumstances?
§ Mr. BrownNotices as to making application for unemployment assistance are exhibited in Employment Exchanges and explanatory leaflets are also available on request.
§ Mr. GallacherWhy "on request"? Is the Minister aware that the unemployed persons do not know about this, and in order that they may make the requests, ought not notices to be posted prominently advising them to make requests?