§ Mr. HAYDAYasked the Minister of Labour whether he will furnish a Return showing the administrative expenses in- 2379W curred under the Unemployment Insurance Acts for the last financial year, and for such shorter period since that date as there may be information available, specifying those expenses under the various heads, and indicating especially the cost of the local committees, the courts of referees, the umpire, the divisional offices, the claims and records office, the remaining headquarters staff, and the remaining local offices>?
§ Mr. SHAWThe figures are as follow:
These administrative expenses relate not only to the organisation required for collecting contributions and assessing and paying benefit; they include also the whole cost of the Employment Exchanges as placing agencies so far as they deal with insured persons.2380W
ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES incurred under the Unemployment Insurance Acts. — 1922–23. Provisional Cost. 1923–24. Estimated Cost. £ £ Headquarter Offices 288,236 270,100 Divisional Offices 204,897 199,000 Employment Exchanges and Branch Employment Offices. 2,321,464 2,017,700 Claims and Record Office, Kew. 672,863 534,450 Office of the Umpire 4,036 3,700 Courts of Referees 18,769 18,300 Local Committees 34,432 22,750 Payments to Associations towards cost of administration. 149,237 65,000 Gross Total Expenses borne on Ministry of Labour Vote. 3,693,934 3,131,000 Deduct: Appropriations-in-Aid. 23,251 — Net Total Expenses borne on Ministry of Labour Vote. 3,670,683 3,131,000 Estimated Expenses borne on Votes of other Departments (Post Office, Office of Works, Stationery Office, etc.). 1,014,805 920,000 Total estimated cost of administration of Unemployment Insurance. 4,685,488 4,051,000 The total administrative cost as given above amounts to 10.5 per cent. of the income of the Unemployment Fund in 1922–23, and 8.3 per cent. in 1923–24.