(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?

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.

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?

That matter has been discussed very often in debate, and I cannot deal with it in answer to a question.

How many of these people have since died of starvation?