HC Deb 18 February 1937 vol 320 cc1330-4
8. Mr. W. Joseph Stewart

asked the Minister of Labour the number of persons in receipt of transitional payments in the administrative county of Durham, the county boroughs of Sunderland, Gateshead, and South Shields, each year from 1931 to 1936; and the amount paid to

Statistics showing the numbers of separate individuals making application for transitional payments or unemployment allowances in a year in particular areas are not available. The following Table, however, shows the average weekly number of payments of transitional payments or unemployment allowances made through Employment Exchanges in the areas mentioned in each of the years 1931 to 1936:
Year. Administrative County of Durham. Sunderland. South Shields. Gateshead.
1931 … … … 39,725 11,399 5,694 5,502
1932 … … … 54,895 15,037 7,261 5,933
1933 … … … 59,132 16,983 7,875 6,738
1934 … … … 48,510 15,876 7,308 6,212
1935 … … … 43,351 14,926 7,233 5,975
1936 … … … 37,785 11,419 6,262 5,177

The following Table shows the approximate amounts paid in transitional payments or unemployment allowances through Employment Exchanges in the same areas in each of the years 1931 to 1936:

Year. Administrative County of Durham. Sunderland. South Shields. Gateshead.
£ £ £ £
1931 (7 weeks) … 305,635 86,447 40,742 40,640
1932 (52 weeks) … 3,100,406 828,612 375,509 314,108
1933 (52 weeks) … 3,249,677 933,460 408,011 358,822
1934 (52 weeks) … 2,600,196 925,796 409,298 355,383
1935 (52 weeks) … 2,865,154 976,698 456,247 383,933
1936 (53 weeks) … 2,581,971 795,562 421,438 349,124

16 and 17. Mr. Lyons

asked the Minister of Labour (1) in how many cases in the city of Leicester recipients of unemployment assistance have received increased allowances as compared with the amounts they received under the standstill agreement; and in how many cases there have been decreases in the payments made to them;

(2) In how many cases in Great Britain recipients of unemployment assistance have received increased allowances as compared with the amounts they received under the standstill agreement; and in how many cases there have been reductions in the payments made to them?

Mr. Brown

Information relating specifically to the city of Leicester is not available but in the Unemployment Assistance

applicants in those areas during the same period?

Mr. E. Brown

As the reply includes a table of figures, I will, if I may, circulate a statement in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Following is the statement:

Board's Leicester area, which extends beyond the city boundaries, there were about 500 persons in receipt of more than they would have received under the standstill arrangements when all cases had been reviewed under the new regulations in December last. No person in this area was in receipt of less than under the standstill arrangements on 29th January, which is the latest date for which information is available. In Great Britain as a whole the increased assessments numbered about 230,000 and the decreases 394 on the corresponding dates.

Mr. Lyons

Will the right hon. Gentleman consider giving publicity to the facts of which he has spoken, and put an end to the misleading propaganda which was organised against the Government when the regulations were introduced?

Mr. Brown

I think the facts are becoming well known now.

19. Miss Ward

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will state, to date, the number of increases and decreases resulting from the introduction of the new unemployment assistance regulations in Newcastle-on-Tyne, Wallsend, Willington Quay, and the administrative county of Northumberland?

Mr. Brown

In December last when all cases had been reviewed under the new regulations the numbers of persons in receipt of more than they would have received under the standstill arrangements in the Unemployment Assistance Board's Newcastle-on-Tyne and Wallsend areas were about 2,000 and 850 respectively. In the board's areas which roughly cover the county of Northumberland (including Newcastle-on-Tyne and Wallsend) the number was about 9,500. On 29th January, which is the latest date for which information is available, no person in either the Newcastle-on-Tyne or Wallsend areas was in receipt of less than under the standstill arrangements. There were, however, two such persons in the county of Northumberland. Separate particulars in respect of Willington Quay, which is included in the board's Wallsend area, are not available.

Captain Sir William Brass

Could the right hon. Gentleman say what is the percentage of the unemployed dealt with in those figures?

Mr. Brown

That, of course, is the review of the whole of the cases.

Mr. Lawson

Will the right hon. Gentleman give some particulars as to the people who will receive reductions?

Mr. Brown

The hon. Member and his friends are constantly asking for information about decreases, and there is no reason why my hon. Friend should not ask about the increases.

Mr. Lawson

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman not to mislead the House, and is it not a fact that there are large reductions to come, which will begin to operate in three separate blocks over 18 months?

Mr. Brown

If I am asked about that, I shall be prepared to give accurate information, as I am doing now.

21. Mr. Logan

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is now able to state what Coronation grant to the unemployed is the Unemployment Advisory Board prepared to give?

Mr. Brown

I informed the hon. Member last week that I would let him know as soon as I was in a position to make a statement in reply to a further question. I expect to be able to answer him next Thursday if he will ask me then.

Major Colfox

What allowance, if any, will be made to Income Tax payers in order to celebrate the Coronation?