UNEMPLOYMENT IN BRITAIN

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21386, 31 January 1935, Page 11

UNEMPLOYMENT IN BRITAIN

ESTIMATE CARRIED REPLIES TO CRITICS OF ADMINISTRATION (TTNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION' —BY ELICTHIC TELIOEAPH —COFTBIGHT.) (Received January 30, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, January 29. In the House of Commons, when the debate on the supplementary estimate of £ 5,000,000 for the Unemployment Assistance Board was continued, Mr George Lansbury moving to report progress, said he hoped all sections of the Labour members would join to tell the Government that they would not tolerate regulations entailing wholesale starvation for men, women, and children. ... The Minister for Labour >Mr |Oliver Stanley) said that reductions in areas where administration had been lax, even illegal, were anticipated. He thought also that there were cases where inexperienced officials of the new system had not used their discretion, as was expected, in making assessments. The Parliamentary Secretary tor Labour (Mr R. S. Hudson), speaking later in the debate, attributed the reductions to former laxity m administration, to the stricter definition of householders, and to the increased earnings of households. On the whole, however, 1 8,?5 e money had been distributed. This year the increase would amount m all to £3,000,000. He asked dissatisfied applicants to exercise their right of appeal to the tribunals. Every effort had been made to ensure that these bodies were competent and sympathetic. Mr Stanley Baldwin said that the Government intended as far as possible to adjust unfair hardships and injustices. Sir Herbert Samuel said that the Liberals must join in the protests e gainst the regulations, though they disapproved of the scene. Mr Lansbury's motion was rejected by 243 votes to 73. Lord Stanley said that instructions had already been issued_ to administer the regulations fairly without causing hardship. The supplementary vote was carried.

LANGUAGE USED BY MR BUCHANAN A PROTEST MADE LONDON, January 29. In the House of Commons to-day Mr Holford Knight (Nottingham) raised the question of the language which Mr G. Buchanan used last n ght, when attacking Mr Ramsay Mac Donald, suggesting that was an insult to the House. He said that certain phrases did not appear in the official report. Sir Dennis Herbert (DeputySpeaker),'who was chairman when Mr Buchanan spoke last night, said that even a chairman was human and might let pass things which should have been disallowed. No appeal was made to him yesterday about Mr Buchanan's language, or it would have been immediately dealt with. Mr Buchanan said he came to the House yesterday direct from his constituency in Glasgow, where there was terrible poverty. He had said things, which, if he had been cool, calm, and collected, he might not have said, but, at the same time, he was terribly sorry he could not withdraw his words, which he believed were true.

The scale of payments of unemployment relief which provoked bitter criticism in the House of Commons is as follows: — Where the application is made by a person living as a member of a household consisting of two or more persons:— (a) For the householder and the householder's wife or husband, 24s a week. Per week, s. d. (b) For the householder (w here rate (a) is not applicable) .. Male .. 16 0 Female .. 14 0 (c) For each member of the household to whom the foregoing rates do not apply:— If aged 21 or over:— For the first such member .. Male .. 10 0 Female .. 8 0 For each subsequent member Male .. 8 0 Female .. 7 0 If 18 or over, but less than 21 .. Male .. 8 0 Female .. 7 0 If 14 or over, but less than 18 6 0 If 11 or over, but less than 14 4 6 If Bor over, but less than 11 4 0 If 5 or over, but less than 8 3 6 If under 5 .. .. ..30 (d) Where the household consists of only one child, in addition to not more than two adults, the amount allowed in respect of that child shall not be less than 4s. (e) Where in any household there are more than five members, the total for that household shall be reduced by Is in respect of each member in excess of five. Where the application is made by a person living otherwise than as a member of a household consisting of two or more persons:— Per week, s. d. (a) If 18 or over Male .. 15 0 Female .. 14 0 (b) If under 18 .. Male .. 13 0 Female .. 12 0 There are rent adjustments and other payments in special circumstances.