HC Deb 06 July 1938 vol 338 cc373-4
45. Mr. Graham White

asked the Prime Minister whether his attention has been drawn to the Report of the Unemployment Assistance Board in which they state the difficulty of meeting their statutory obligation to provide for the needs of applicants and their families and at the same time maintain a reasonable relationship between allowances and wages; and whether he will appoint a Royal Commission or other appropriate body to investigate the relationship of unemployment benefit, unemployment allowances, wage rates, and family allowances?

The Prime Minister

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the second part, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave on 29th June to my hon. Friend the Member for Aberdeen, East (Mr. Boothby).

Mr. White

Does not the right hon. Gentleman recall that the reply to the hon. Member for East Aberdeen (Mr. Boothby) refers solely to the question of family allowances, which is a narrow point; and will he not, in view of the anxiety expressed by the Unemployment Assistance Board and the Statutory Committee with regard to the problem, take some further steps towards a solution of the difficulty?

The Prime Minister

I think that really the answer applies, although perhaps the scope of this question is rather wider than the one that was asked before.

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