§ Mr. CLARRYasked the Minister of Labour the number of unemployed persons, the moneys contributed to the Unemployment Fund by the Exchequer both in respect of covenanted and un-covenanted benefit, the moneys contributed by employers and by employed persons, and the number so contributing, together with any other contribution 1291W made to the fund, and the figures to be assessed during the month of October, 1932, on a basis of average per week?
§ Sir H. BETTERTONStatistics of the number of persons registered as unemployed during the month are available only for the date 24th October, 1932, when the total was 2,747,006. The average weekly contribution income of the unemployment fund during October amounted to about £1,125,000 which was contributed in equal shares by employers, employed persons and the Exchequer. In addition, the Exchequer paid into the unemployment fund the cost of transitional payments and their administration, amounting on the average during October to about £1,020,000 per week. The number of insured persons in employment on 24th October, 1932, is estimated at 9,397,000. It is not possible to give an estimate of the number of employers who paid contributions.