§ Mr. Ridleyasked the Minister of Labour how many applicants for unemployment assistance in the year 1937 had the means test applied to their application; what was the average amount consequently deducted from normal assistance; how many nil determinations resulted; and what was the total economy involved?
§ Mr. E. BrownI regret that the precise information asked for is not available, but estimates based on investigations made in May and December, 1937, in respect of the resources of applicants who were receiving allowances in December, 1937, are given in the Board's annual report for 1937 (Cmd.5752), to pages 78–80 of which I would especially refer the hon. Member. During the financial year 1937–38, 97,153 nil determinations were made in cases where the applicant was adjudged to be not in need of an allowance, but the same individual may be included more than once in this total. It is not known how many persons were unemployed at any one time in whose case a nil determination had been given, or how many had not applied for an allowance because of substantial household resources.