§ Mr. MAINWARINGasked the Minister of Labour what is the total estimated cost of maintenance, on all accounts, per trainee per week at each of the instructional and conditioning centres under the Ministry?
Mr. STANLEY,pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 12th March, 1935, Column 192, Vol. 299], supplied the following statement—
There are 14 residential instructional centres at present in existence, and in connection with these, 13 residential instructional camps were set up during the summer months of 1934. The cost of maintenance of the residential instructional centres varies slightly according to the locality, type of training, period of the year, etc.: on the average it is about 23s. per trainee-week. At the residential instructional camps the cost is about 1s. 6d. per trainee-week less. These figures exclude any allowance for capital expenditure or for cost of headquarters administration. While at the centres the men continue to receive unemployment benefit or unemployment assistance allowances to which they are entitled, retain 4s. per week for personal expenses, and pay the balance towards the cost of board and lodging. In cases where the men have dependants, arrangements are made for an appropriate sum to be available for the maintenance of the dependants. In addition to the type of centre referred to above there are two centres at which the total cost is somewhat higher than at the residential centres:—
- (a) one non-residential instructional centre at which the men are accommodated in lodgings and
- (b) one local instructional centre to which the men travel daily from their homes. In both these cases the men are provided with a mid-day meal at the centre.