Oral Answers to Questions — Unemployment. – in the House of Commons am ar 15 Mehefin 1933.
Mr William Lunn
, Rothwell
(for Mr. PRICE) asked the Minister of Labour the number of persons who have been deprived of benefit or transitional payments since the end of July, 1931?
Sir Henry Betterton
, Rushcliffe
The statistics do not enable me to give the number of separate applicants whose claims have been disallowed, but between 14th July, 1931, and 31st May, 1933, 1,040,915 claims for benefit or transitional payments were disallowed by courts of referees in Great Britain. Determinations by public assistance authorities and commissioners on applications for transitional payments during the period 12th November, 1931, to 6th May, 1933, included 1,036,763 in which the needs of applicants were held not to justify payment. This figure includes renewals and revisions as well as initial applications.
Mr William Lunn
, Rothwell
May I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether the Government have any policy for dealing with those people who have been refused transitional payments except to send them to the Poor Law?
Sir Henry Betterton
, Rushcliffe
That matter has been discussed very often in debate, and I cannot deal with it in answer to a question.
Mr Frederick Cocks
, Broxtowe
How many of these people have since died of starvation?
Ministers make up the Government and almost all are members of the House of Lords or the House of Commons. There are three main types of Minister. Departmental Ministers are in charge of Government Departments. The Government is divided into different Departments which have responsibilities for different areas. For example the Treasury is in charge of Government spending. Departmental Ministers in the Cabinet are generally called 'Secretary of State' but some have special titles such as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ministers of State and Junior Ministers assist the ministers in charge of the department. They normally have responsibility for a particular area within the department and are sometimes given a title that reflects this - for example Minister of Transport.
