asked the Minister for Social Welfare why it is not possible to secure particulars of unemployment benefit and unemployment assistance payments for years earlier than 1957-58.

It is possible to give particulars of the total amounts of unemployment benefit and unemployment assistance paid for years earlier than 1957/58. It is not possible, however, to give particulars of the amounts of unemployment benefit and unemployment assistance paid at individual local offices of my Department for those years for the reason that the records from which this information might be obtained have, in accordance with the normal practice, been destroyed.