HC Deb 24 February 1938 vol 332 cc545-6
76. Mr. Batey

asked the Minister of Health the number of able-bodied unemployed persons who are receiving Poor Law relief in the county of Durham and also in Great Britain?

Sir K. Wood

Statistical information in the exact form desired by the hon. Member is not available, but in January, 1938, the average number of persons, excluding dependants, in the administrative county of Durham ordinarily engaged in some regular occupation who were in receipt of out-relief on account of unemployment was 595. The corresponding figure for the whole of England and Wales for that month is not yet available, but the figure for December, 1937, was 22,853. Any question as regards Scotland should be addressed to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State.

Mr. Batey

Will the right hon. Gentleman hand that figure over to the Minister of Labour and ask him what he is going to do?

Sir K. Wood

I will show it to him now.