§ Mr. HAMMERSLEYasked the Minister of Labour what is the comparative value of the maximum benefit which an unemployed man with a wife and three children can now receive compared with the benefit which he could receive in 1920, taking 1520 equals 100, and taking into consideration the fall in the cost-of-living index?
§ Miss BONDFIELDThe maximum weekly rate of unemployment benefit now payable to a man with a wife and three children is 32s. (of which 17s. is the basic rate and 15s. is dependant's benefit). In 1920, dependant's benefit was not payable and he would have received the same weekly rate of benefit as a single man, namely, 15s. The cost-of-living index in 1920 (on average) was 249 and at present is 150. Accordingly, if the 1920 figures are equated to 100, the present figures are equivalent to 188 if the basic rate of benefit only is taken into account and to 354 if dependant's benefit (not payable in 1920) is included.