HC Deb 05 March 1937 vol 321 c686W
Mr. White

asked the Minister of Labour whether he can state the turnover of applicants for allowances to the Unemployment Assistance Board for 1935 and 1936, for the period of two years?

Mr. E. Brown

It is regretted that information is not available in the form which the hon. Member desires, but the following figures are relevant. The total number of applicants for allowances on the 28th January, 1935, was 784,242, on the 20th January, 1936, it was 735,665 and on 25th January, 1937, 594,441. The average number of applicants during the calendar year 1935 was 749,105, and during 1936 it was 654,761. During 1936, the first year in respect of which complete information is available, the average weekly number of persons who made "initial" applications for allowances was 4,921, and the average weekly number who made "repeat" applications, i.e., cases where a previous application had been made to the Board, was 14,208.