§ Mr. DUCKWORTHasked the Minister of Labour the average number of persons in receipt of unemployment benefit to the latest possible date in the year 1928, and the total amount of benefit paid to that date?
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDStatistics of the average number of persons actually in receipt of unemployment benefit are not available, but the average number of claims admitted or under consideration, based on the numbers recorded on one day of each month in the period January to October, 1928, inclusive, was 1,029,697. The amount paid in respect of unemployment benefit during the period January to October, 1928, inclusive, was approximately £35,730,000.
§ Mr. KELLYasked the Minister of Labour the number of claims for benefit referred to the chief insurance officer in 898W 1927, and the number of these claims which were disallowed benefit under the Unemployment Insurance Act?
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDDuring the year 1927, 564,560 claims to unemployment benefit were referred to the Chief Insurance Officer, of which 242,392 were allowed and 322,168 were disallowed.
§ Mr. W. THORNEasked the Minister of Labour whether his attention has been called to the case of two unemployed West Hendon girls who applied for employment at a military canteen and were asked to sign papers consenting to foreign service if required, and to sleep under canvas; and whether, in view of girls refusing to sign such papers, their unemployment benefit would be stopped?
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDNo such ease has been brought to my notice. The decision whether the refusal of such employment, if offered, would involve loss of benefit would be a matter not for me but for the statutory authorities.
§ Mr. KELLYasked the Minister of Labour the number of claims for unemployment benefit which were referred to courts of referees in 1927, and the number of such claims disallowed.
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDDuring the year 1927, 110,714 claims to unemployment benefit were considered by courts of referees, of which 38,311 were recommended for allowance and 72,403 for disallowance.
§ Mr. W. BAKERasked the Minister of Labour whether the payment of arrears of benefit under the Unemployment Insurance Acts is subject to deduction of relief issued by a Poor Law authority; whether he is aware that paragraph 39 of Ministry Memo. U.I.L. 8, dated March, 1928, states that such deduction is limited to the amount of excess relief paid; and whether he will state why paragraph 39 is specially brought to the notice of unemployed persons if it is not to be acted upon.
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDI think the hon. Member may be under a misapprehension. The practice is in accordance with paragraph 39, and the amount deducted is limited to what I assume the hon. Member means by "excess relief," namely, the difference between the amount of the relief actually paid and 899W the amount which would have been paid if the claimant had been drawing benefit at the time. Perhaps the hon. Member will have a word with me afterwards.