Mr. W. Joseph Stewartasked the Minister of Labour the total amount paid in standard benefit, and the amount paid by the Unemployment Assistance Board in County Durham during the year 1939?
§ Mr. E. BrownThis information is not at present available and could only be obtained by extracting details of the amounts paid at each of the Department's local offices in County Durham, week by week throughout the year. Having regard to the great pressure of work in my Department and the urgent need for economy, I do not feel justified, in present circumstances, in asking that these figures should be extracted. I shall be glad, however, to discuss with the hon. Member whether the purposes for which he requires the information could be served by the provision of other figures, more readily available.