asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state in respect of each of the last three years for which the information is available (a) the total sums paid in benefit under the Unemployment Assistance Acts; (b) the average weekly payment; (c) the total cost of administering the Acts, and (d) the income of the Unemployment Assistance Fund derived from (1) local authorities, (2) the Unemployment Fund.
Written Answers. - Unemployment Assistance Acts.
As regards (a) and (d) of the question I would refer the Deputy to my reply to a question addressed to me on the subject by Deputy Corish on 8th July last. As regards (b) it is not possible to give the average weekly payment, but it can be said that the average amount paid, per payment (normally weekly) in the three years ended 31st March, 1942, was approximately as follows:—
|
£ |
s. |
d. |
|
|
Year ended 31st March, 1940 |
0 |
8 |
11 |
|
Year ended 31st March, 1941 |
0 |
9 |
6 |
|
Year ended 31st March, 1942 |
0 |
9 |
6 |
As regards (c) of the Deputy's question accurate information is not available as the administration of the Unemployment Assistance Acts is combined with that of the Unemployment Insurance Acts, the labour exchange and other functions of the Employment Branch of my Department and a reliable allocation of the cost of administering the Unemployment Assistance Acts is, therefore, not possible.