Mr. T. Morrisasked the Minister of Labour whether, taking the latest date for which information is available, he will state the number of recipients of unemployment assistance in Wales, by counties, who were receiving increased allowances in comparison with the amount they received under the old standstill agreement, the numbers of those who have suffered decreases, and the average payment per person now and before the new regulations became operative?
§ Mr. E. BrownI regret that information relating specifically to the counties 1871W in Wales is not available but in the four administrative districts of the Unemployment Assistance Board situated in Wales and Monmouthshire the numbers of increases and decreases at the latest available dates were approximately as follow:
District. Increases. Decreases. Cardiff 13,100 227 Newport 8,400 69 Swansea 8,300 199 Wrexham 3,000 45 Total 32,800 540 The average payment in Wales in the four weeks preceding the operation of the new Regulations was 25s. 4d.; in the four weeks ended 27th February, 1937, it was 26s. 1d. Separate averages in respect of counties are not available.