HC Deb 23 November 1937 vol 329 cc1048-50W
Sir P. Harris

asked the Minister of Health what would be the estimated cost of providing old-age pensioners in public assistance institutions with pocket money; whether he can state approximately how many old-age pensioners are in such institutions; and whether he will consider introducing amending legislation to remove any doubt as to the legality of paying pocket money to these old people?

Mr. Bernays

The number of old age pensioners in public assistance institutions in England and Wales is about 24,000, but the total number of potential pensioners, that is persons who might be receiving a pension if they were not in an institution, is estimated at nearly 60,000. On that basis the cost of providing such persons with pocket money at the rate of 2s. a week would be about £300,000 a year. As regards the last part

The following table shows the total numbers of persons, aged 14 years and over, registered as unemployed, at a date in September of the years 1931–1936, at Employment Exchanges which wholly or partly serve the Special Areas as defined in the Special Areas (Development and Improvement) Act, 1934.
Date. Durham and Tyneside. West Cumberland. South Wales and Monmouth. South-West Scotland. All Special Areas.
21st September, 1931 191,318 13,658 157,852 117,795 480,623
26th September, 1932 210,055 14,588 179,436 123,437 527,516
25th September, 1933 193,670 14,608 161,212 108,044 477,534
27th September, 1934 176,119 12,966 146,407 93,795 429,287
23rd September, 1935 171,727 11,773 157,683 88,048 429,231
21st September, 1936 128,721 12,460 141,771 71,304 354,256

Mr. Ridley

asked the Minister of Labour how many persons had been registered as unemployed for a period of not less than 12 months in each of the Special Areas at the most recent date for which the figures are available; and how many persons were so registered at the

Statistics showing the duration of unemployment are available only in respect of persons applying for insurance benefit or unemployment allowances. The Table below shows the numbers of such applicants who, at a date in October of each of the years 1935, 1936 and 1937, had been continuously on the registers of Employment Exchanges in the Special Areas for twelve months or more. Figures for corresponding dates in earlier years have not been compiled.
Special Area. 21st October, 1935. 26th October, 1936. 18th October, 1937.*
Durham and Tyneside 57,537 43,297 34,819
West Cumberland 4,556 5,249 3,870
South Wales and Monmouthshire 56,578 51,071 36,501
South-West Scotland 26,970 20,437 17,552
All Special Areas 145,641 120,054 92,742
* Note.—Owing to the increase in the numbers of applicants for unemployment allowances at the second appointed day under the Unemployment Assistance Act, 1934 (namely, 1st April, 1937), the figures for 18th October, 1937, are not strictly comparable with those for the two earlier dates.

of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 11th November to a question by my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Cardiff South (Captain A. Evans).

Forward to