asked the Minister of Labour the average weekly number of payments made by the Unemployment Assistance Board during 1938, and the cost of the administrative services of the Board, together with the cost of services rendered by the Ministry of Labour and other Government Departments for the same period?

During the year 1938 the average weekly number of payments of unemployment allowances, including allowances in supplementation of unemployment benefit, was approximately 562,900, and the cost of all the administrative services of the Unemployment Assistance Board amounted to approximately £4,515,000 of which about £2,690,000 was in respect of services rendered by the Ministry of Labour and other Government Departments on behalf of the Board.

If the right hon. Gentleman can say what is the average number of persons receiving payment weekly, why is it impossible to say how many people receive payment in 12 months?

Because an average is struck over the whole 12 months with reference to one particular day in each of the 12 months. The other involves the full number of persons in any day or any week, which is a very difficult calculation.