§ Sir H. NIELDasked the Minister of Labour whether, consequent upon the Report of the Committee appointed to consider the administration of the out-of-work donation, he has made and promulgated any Amendments of the Regulations governing the payment of the donations 926W as [...] paragraph 42 of the Final Report; what are the Amendments so made; whether, in consequence, any material diminution of the cases in winch the donation has been fraudulently or improperly obtained has taken place or may reasonably be expected; and, in the latter case, upon what does he base his view?
§ Sir R. HORNEEffect has been given to all the recommendations in the Report, with the exception of that which suggests that the weekly rate of donation for civilian workers should, after thirteen weeks, be reduced to 15s. for men and 12s. for women. After careful consideration, I came to the conclusion that, on Lie whole, the balance of advantage was against reducing the rates of donation during the comparatively short time that the existing scheme of donation for civilian workers has yet to run. The details of the Amendments are not a suitable subject for explanation by way of question and answer, but their nature can be readily seen by reference to the Report itself. I may add that since the end of May there has been a marked decrease in the number of frauds reported to this office in connection with donation. I think I may fairly attribute this to the reforms which have been introduced from time to time on the recommendation of the Committee and otherwise.
§ Sir H. NIELDasked the Minister of Labour what number of cases have been reported to his Department of fradulent or improper claims to out-of-work donation, and the aggregate sum paid in respect thereof; in how many of such cases have prosecutions been directed; and what is the aggregate of the sums wrongfully obtained in such cases?
§ Sir R. HORNEProsecutions have been instituted in Great Britain in 882 cases of apparent fraud in connection with out-of-work donation, and 648 further cases are under consideration. Corresponding figures for Ireland are being obtained, and I will send them to the hon. Member in the course of a few days. Information is not available as regards the aggregate amounts of donation paid in these eases. The term "improper claim," as distinct from fraudulent claims, is too indefinite to enable any statistics to be furnished. I may mention that up to the middle of October some 200,000 claims had been disallowed by the Courts of Referees in Great Britain, but in the great majority of these 927W there was genuine [...]to receive donation, and in some the decision of the Court of Referees was subsequently reversed by the Umpire on appeal.
§ Sir P. MAGNUSasked the Minister of Labour whether, in connection with the present economic condition, he will state the period during which the payment of unemployment donation has been in operation; what has been the monthly and total amounts of payment; and whether he can now assign a definite date for the termination of the donation?
§ Sir R. HORNEThe out-of-work donation scheme has been in operation since 25th November, 1918. The total amounts paid monthly to the end of September, 1919, are approximately as follows:
The total amount paid up to and including the week ended the 17th October, 1919, is approximately £39,000,000. With regard to the last part of the question, I have nothing to add to the reply given to the hon. Member for Keighley on 22nd October, and the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 29th October.
£ December, 1918 761,000 January, 1919 3,070,000 February, 1919 4,128,000 March, 1919 4,928,000 April, 1919 5,604,000 May, 1919 6,517,000 June, 1919 3,496,000 July, 1919 3,629,000 August, 1919 2,769,000 September, 1919 2,076,000
Lieut.-Colonel THORNEasked the Minister of Labour if he is aware that in consequence of the recent railway strike workpeople at Messrs. Craven's rope works, Sunderland, were thrown out of employment; that a number of married women workers were refused donation benefit, although such women had been deserted by their husbands for many years and had received no income except by their earnings at the ropery works; that young unmarried women, formerly employed at the same works and without family responsibilities, received the benefit; and if he will have inquiry made with a view to amending the decision of the, local Labour Exchange authorities?
§ Sir R. HORNEIn the difficult circumstances arising out of the recent railway strike it was necessary to introduce an928W emergency donation scheme on the simplest possible lines, in order that it should be administratively workable. Among other things, this necessitated the exclusion of married women from the emergency donation, because any other decision would in the circumstances have opened a wide door to abuse. The ordinary scheme, under which married women as such are not disqualified, was reinstated at the earliest practicable date, namely, the 16th October. While regretting that the special emergency rule should have caused hardship in some individual cases, the Ministry cannot see their way to reconsidering it.
§ Sir H. NIELDasked the Minister of Labour whether he has considered the minutes of evidence given before the Committee appointed to consider the administration of the out-of-work donation, and in particular the evidence of Mr. H. C. A. Bingley, one of the Metropolitan stipendiary magistrates, giving particulars not only of cases investigated by him but also of cases dealt with by several of his colleagues in the Metropolitan Police Courts?
§ Sir R. HORNEThe evidence given before the Committee by Mr. Bingley and by other witnesses has been carefully considered by my Department, in conjuntion with the recommendations which the Committee made after themselves considering that evidence. The specific cases quoted by Mr. Bingley have also been investigated. I may add that arrangements are being made to have the evidence laid as a Command Paper in the course of the next few days.