HC Deb 16 June 1938 vol 337 cc365-8
11 and 12. Mr. Ridley

asked the Minister of Labour (1) to how many applicants winter allowances were given by the Unemployment Assistance Board in the Chesterfield area, and what was the average amount given;

(2) what proportion of persons registered as unemployed were in receipt of winter allowances in Great Britain at 1st March, 1938, and what was the proportion in the Chesterfield area?

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

In the Board's administrative area of Chesterfield the num- ber of assessments current on 17th January last was 2,812, in 845 of which the assessment included a winter addition of an average weekly value of approximately 1s. 9d. per case. Over the whole of Great Britain on the same date the number of current assessments of allowances of applicants registered as unemployed was 603,909. In 263,388 of these cases the assessment included a winter addition. I regret that statistics relating to 1st March, 1938, are not available, but the Board have no reason to believe that there had been any substantial change on that date in the number of additions current.

17. Mr. Gallacher

asked the Minister of Labour whether, in view of the evidence given by Mrs. George Verdin, on whose husband the St. Pancras coroner returned a verdict of suicide on 8th June, that he had been unaware of his right to apply for supplementary benefit from the Unemployment Assistance Board while unemployed, he will cause to be posted in a prominent place at all Employment Exchanges a notice informing the unemployed of their rights in this respect?

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

The hon. Member has, I think, been misinformed about this case, since it is clear that Mr. Verdin was aware of and exercised his rights in this matter. He applied for and received an allowance from the Board on 7th March last, two days after the termination of his last spell of work. He subsequently became entitled to unemployment benefit. He was receiving an allowance from the Board in supplementation of his benefit for eight weeks prior to his death. I am glad of the opportunity of correcting the erroneous statements with regard to this case which have appeared in the Press.

Mr. Gallacher

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that the wife made the statement to the effect that her husband was not aware of this, and that there have been continual complants of people not being aware of it; and is there any reason why a prominent notice should not be placed in the Employment Exchanges advising the unemployed that they are entitled to this supplementary benefit?

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

In this particular case the allegations have been most carefully looked into, and they are without exception incorrect. In regard to the general question, a poster which is put up in the exchanges makes it clear that a person who is within the scope of the Act may apply for unemployment assistance.

Mr. J. J. Davidson

Has the person concerned in this question actually drawn supplementary benefit?

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

Yes, I have said in my answer that he drew supplementary benefit for eight weeks prior to his death.

18. Mr. T. Smith

asked the Minister of Labour why a number of unemployed men living at Normanton who applied for unemployment assistance were given food tickets instead of money?

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

I am having inquiry made and will communicate with the hon. Member in due course.

Mr. Smith

Can the hon. Gentleman say where the officers of the Unemployment Assistance Board get their power to give food tickets instead of money when men apply for unemployment assistance?

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

It is a power which the officers enjoy under the Regulations. In this particular case I am making inquiries to find out in what way the power has been exercised.

Mr. Smith

Is it not a fact that under Part II of the Unemployment Act where relief in kind is given it is given in what is known as special cases, that is, cases which have proved unreliable? I think the hon. Gentleman will find that in this case there are no special cases within the Act.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

Perhaps the hon. Member will await the result of the inquiries.

Mr. Lawson

Has the hon. Gentleman any knowledge whether this power is being widely used?

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

It is not necessary to use it in a great number of cases.

19. Mr. John

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that a large number of unemployed persons were refused unemployment assistance at Tonypandy on Saturday, 11th June; and will he give the precise number refused and the reasons of such refusals?

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

I am having inquiry made and will communicate with the hon. Member in due course.

20. Mr. John

asked the Minister of Labour the number of persons receiving unemployment assistance at the following Employment Exchanges; Treorchy, Gelli, Tonypandy, Porth, and Ferndale; the number who have had their allowance reduced; and the number of appeals made against the hardship caused?

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

As the reply includes a tabular statement I will, if I may, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Following is the reply:

I assume that the reductions referred to in the second part of the question relate to decreases from amounts paid under the Standstill arrangements. Information relating to Employment Exchange areas is not available but the following table shows in Column (A) the Board's administrative areas which are served by the Employment Exchanges referred to, in Column (B) the number of assessments current in those areas on the 29th April, 1938, in Column (C) the number of applicants who on the same day (which is the latest date for which information is available) were in receipt of allowances which had been reduced by way of adjustment of the Standstill arrangements otherwise than on account of personal earnings, and in Column (D) the number of appeals against reductions from Standstill payments entered during the four weeks ended the 29th April.

Col. (A). Col. (B). Col. (C). Col. (D).
Treorchy* … 3,426 372 9
Tonypandy … 3,275 535 15
Portht† … 2,809 435 6
Ferndale … 2,340 239 10
* The Ministry of Labour local offices at Treorchy and Gelli are situated within this area.
†The Ministry of Labour local offices at Porth and Tonyrefail are situated within this area.