HC Deb 29 March 1927 vol 204 cc1064-6W
Lieut.-Colonel GADIE

asked the Minister of Labour what has been the cost for each year since November, 1918, for unemployment benefit, out-of-work donation or relief, Poor Law relief to able-bodied, cost of upkeep, rent, interest, etc., for premises used as Employment Exchanges or offices in connection with such services, cost of staff for the same, and any other costs in connection with unemployment, respectively; and what was the total number of unemployed during these years, giving details of special circumstances in connection with an abnormal number of unemployed in any year?

Sir A. STEEL-MAITLAND

The information desired, so far as it is available, is hereafter given.

I. Statement showing the approximate amount of 00 Unemployment Benefit; (b) Out-of- Work Donation and (c) Poor Law Relief to able-bodied persons and their Dependants, for each year since 1918.
Year. Unemployment. Benefit. Out-of-Work Donation, Ex- Service and Civilian Poor Law Relief to able-b died persons and their de endants.
Calendar Year. Year ending 31st March Year ending 31st March.
£ £ £
1918 84,000 — Not available.*
1919 423,000 13,255,000
1920 2,216,000 86,704,000
1921 58,546,000 11,923,000 500,000
1922 47,932,000 544,000 8,6613,000
1923 39,366,000 21,000 11,717,000
1924 37,874,000 1,000 8,310,000
1925 45,815,000 — 5,459,000
1926 50,187.000 — 7,313,000
* Separate figures for payments to able-bodied persons were not kept for this period, the payments being included in 'be Relief paid to all classes of the Poor, including Sick, Aged, Widows, etc., which from the Armistice to 31st March, 1920, amounted to £33.513,000.

II.—Statement showing the Cost of the Employment Exchange and Unemployment Insurance Service (Great Britain) from 1st April, 1919 to 31st March, 1926.
The figures include costs of the Headquarters, of the Employment and Insurance Department, Claims and Records Office, Kew, Divisional Offices, Employment Exchanges nd Branch Employment Offices.
Item. Year ending 31st March.
1919. 1920. 1921. 1922. 1923. 1924. 1925. 1926.*
£ £ £ £ £ £ £ £
Salaries, travelling expenses and other administrative expenses. 1,503,386 3,193,832 3,552,012 5,296,176 3,668,347 3,186,288 3,319,423 3,560,106
Payments to A soci tions and Local Education Authorities for administration of unemployment insurance. — — 47,568 507,867 149,237 68,879 85,620 119,904
Stationery, printing, etc. 79,591 156,513 164,148 153,883 58,373 51,543 60,968 59,086
P.emises (rent and capital expenditure) 340,763 774,521 865,774 657,954 403,618 348,610 378,369 414,886
General Post Office 101,722 179,014 249,177 568,122 353,614 290,455 299,175 332,145
Rates and miscellaneous services rendered by other Government Departm nts. 16,660 31,204 26,014 98,671 226,590 220,029 253,336 201,576
Superannuation (a. cruiug liability)† — — — — — — 158,007 238,868
Total cost of Employment Exchange and Unemployment Insurance Service. 2,042,122 4,335,084 4,904,693 7,282,673 4,859,779 4,165,804 4,554,898 4,926,571
* Subject to revision.
† A charge under this head was made for the first time during the year ended 31st March, 1025, in pursuance of Section 6 of the Unemployment Insurance (No. 2) Act, 1924. The previous practice was to charge the proper proportion of superannuation allowane s actually paid.
Note.—Poor Law Relief is not administe by the Ministry of Labour and no information is available as to the cost incurred by the various Local Authorities.