§ Sir C. MARKSasked the Minister of Labour if he can give the total number of 1448W persons receiving unemployment pay, and the amount paid to them, for the first week in March, 1921, and the corresponding week in 1920?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAThe number of persons receiving unemployment pay (including both unemployment benefit and out-of-work donation) from the Ministry of Labour for the first week in March, 1921, was approximately 1,483,000, as compared with 328,000 for the first week in March, 1920. The total amounts paid in those weeks were £892,000 and £359,000 respectively. These figures should not be regarded as an accurate index of the relative amount of unemployment at the two periods, as the Unemployment Insurance Act, 1920, which greatly extended the number of persons entitled to receive unemployment benefit when unemployed benefit came into operation in November, 1920.