(for Mr. McGOVERN) asked the Minister of Labour the total number of persons who have been refused benefit under the Anomalies Act up-to-date and the total weekly amount thereby saved?

Between J9th October, 1931, and 31st May, 1933, 260,430 claims for insurance benefit or transitional payments were disallowed under the Anomalies Regulations by courts of referees in Great Britain. The figure relates to claims; the number of separate individuals concerned is not available. It is not practicable to make an accurate estimate of the saving, but it is roughly at the rate of £75,000 a week.

How can there be any saving on transitional payments seeing that persons covered by this Act are within the terms of standard benefit claims?

I do not quite follow the hon. Gentleman.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that all persons who are affected by the Anomalies Act have a stamp qualification for standard benefit, and therefore cannot be affected by transitional payments?

I think that the hon. Gentleman had better put that question down.

Is the right hon. Gentleman satisfied that there is a saving of this amount?

The saving under the Anomalies Act is roughly the figure which I have given in answer to the Question. What the effect of that might be in other directions I cannot say.