§ Mr. HARCOURT JOHNSTONEasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the annual cost, assuming a gross figure of 2,200,000 unemployed, of restoring the rates of unemployment benefit in operation at October, 1931, for insurance benefit proper and for transitional benefit (without abolishing a means test)?
§ Sir H. BETTERTONI have been asked to reply. On the basis of finance assumed for the Unemployment Bill, but with a live register of 2,200,000, it is estimated that the annual cost of restoring the rates of unemployment benefit in operation at October, 1931, for insurance benefit proper would be about £4,800,000. As regards the existing1286W scheme of transitional payments, I am not in a position to estimate the effect of increasing the basic rates of benefit, as the cost would depend upon the assessments of need made by public assistance authorities.