§ 34. Mr. Rossasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many weekly national assistance supplements are presently being made in respect of persons in receipt of unemployment benefit; and what the figure was for the corresponding time last year.
§ Mr. N. MacphersonThe number of authorisations of weekly National Assistance allowances granted as supplements to unemployment benefit which were current in the Area Offices of the Board on 25th September was 56,208, 26 and 29,333 at the corresponding time last year. In certain cases, the person to whom the authorisation related might recently have resumed work.
§ Mr. RossDo not the figures show that, despite all that the right hon. Gentleman did at the Board of Trade, unemployment is rising, and in relation to the work that he is doing now, do they not show that unemployment benefit is quite inadequate? What does he propose to do about it?
§ Mr. MacphersonThe supplements from the National Assistance Board have always been available, and it has always been understood that in certain cases there should be recourse to National Assistance to supplement the foundation payments made under the National Insurance Scheme.
§ Mr. MacphersonMany insurance policies do not wholly cover a risk.
§ Mr. LawsonCan the right hon. Gentleman tell us how many weeks must elapse before a person who becomes unemployed is normally eligible for National Assistance supplementation?
§ Mr. MacphersonIt can be available virtually night away. In normal circumstances the wages that a man has just received are considered as being sufficient for the week following, but he can always have recourse to National Assistance supplementation right away if he is in need.
§ 35. Mr. Rossasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what is the average weekly supplement presently being paid to retirement pensioner householders, with and without adult dependant, respectively.
§ Mr. N. MacphersonInformation about the average amounts of weekly National Assistance allowances actually payable, having regard to the rent, resources and other circumstances of the recipient, is obtained annually from a sample selected early in November, and information about the average supplement paid to all retirement pensioners will not be available for another week or so.