STATISTICS.

HC Deb 16 March 1939 vol 345 cc572-3

24. Mr. Watkins

asked the Minister of Labour the total number of insured persons in 1938, and the number of such persons who were in receipt of unemployment benefit or assistance at any time during the year 1938?

Mr. E. Brown

As regards the first part of the question, figures are available only in respect of the numbers insured at the beginning of July, 1938. At that date the estimated total number of persons, aged 14–64, insured under the Unemployment Insurance Acts in Great Britain, was 15,395,000. As explained in the reply to the hon. Member for Clay Cross (Mr. Ridley) on 9th March, figures showing the total number of separate individuals who received unemployment benefit or assistance during 1938 are not available.

Mr. Watkins

Does the right hon. Gentleman realise that, by persisting in saying that he cannot get this information, he is putting an undue strain on our desire to believe him?

Mr. Brown

I am sorry for that, but the facts remain the same.

Mr. Watkins

Is it not a routine matter for his Department to tell the House the total number of people that were affected by unemployment during the year 1938?

Mr. Brown

No; it is a complicated matter. As the House knows, the whole arrangements were entirely altered by the Act of 1934. Since the second appointed day, a large number of persons have appeared in our figures who were transferred from public assistance authorities to the Board. The situation is entirely different from what it was before 1934.

Mr. Watkins

Is not that answer simply clouding the issue? Is it not the case that all that is required is to get the information, add the totals together, and announce them to the House?

Mr. Brown

No, Sir; it is nothing like as simple as that. It is the hon. Member who is clouding the issue, and I am clarifying it.

27. Mr. Graham White

asked the Minister of Labour the numbers of unemployed persons on the non-claimants register as on the last convenient date?

Mr. Brown

At 13th February, 1939, there were 155,805 unemployed persons, aged 14 and over, on the registers of Employment Exchanges in Great Britain, who had no application for unemployment benefit or allowances.