HC Deb 19 November 1931 vol 259 cc1031-3W
Major MILNER

asked the Minister of Labour how many applicants for transitional benefit have been before public assistance committees and the number of applicants who have had their benefit reduced; and the number of single girls and women, and the number of youths and men living at home with their parents, who have had unemployment benefit stopped?

Sir H. BETTERTON

This procedure only came into operation a week ago, and I am not yet in possession of any statistics of the number of cases dealt with.

Mr. McENTEE

asked the Minister of Labour what number of men and women now in receipt of transitional benefit are to be subjected to examination by the public assistance committee, with a view to determining what amount of benefit they are to receive, within the Borough of Walthamstow?

Sir H. BETTERTON

it 26th October, 1931, there were 768 men and 92 women with claims authorised for transitional benefit on the register of the Leyton and Walthamstow Employment Exchange Statistics of the number of persons resident within the Borough of Walthamstow are not available.

Sir R. ASKE

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will consider the desirability of issuing regulations as to assessment of transitional benefit which will require the rent payable by the applicant to be taken into account in the assessment of need and which will allow Army pensions to be wholly or mainly excluded from calculation of the means of applicants?

Sir H. BETTERTON

I have no power under the Order in Council to make such regulations. The position of men in receipt of disability pensions is dealt with in a circular issued to authorities on 10th November, of which I am sending my hon. Friend a copy.

Lord APSLEY

asked the Minister of Labour whether, with a view to making the new transitional benefit regulations clear and comprehensible to those affected, he will consider the desirability of issuing a small explanatory leaflet to be supplied to each man or woman by the Employment Exchanges?

Sir H. BETTERTON

This has already been done. I am sending to my hon. Friend a copy of a leaflet which is being issued to every applicant concerned.