§ MR. CLAUDE HAY (Shoreditch, Hoxton)To ask the President of the Local Government Board whether the Central Unemployed Committee for London on January 5th last requested, by letter to the Local Government Board, that such facilities as the employment register may afford for obtaining employment without outlay by the central body, be extended to ex-soldiers and ex-sailors within twelve months after completion of their term of service, even though, by reason of their service in the Army or in the Navy, they may not possess twelve months residential qualification, and that such soldiers and sailors were discharged with characters marked as good, and that they have resided for at least ninety days previous to their application for employment in the district served by the district committee concerned, provided 204 that the Local Government Board consents to make a uniform regulation to this effect throughout the country; and whether he has acceded to this request by the issue of a regulation, or otherwise, applicable to the whole country, so that unemployment relief should be available for ex-soldiers and ex-sailors without involving a burden upon London ratepayers.
(Answered by Mr. John Burns.) I have no power to make a regulation which would enable the central body to give assistance under the Unemployed Workmen Act to ex-soldiers and ex-sailors who do not possess the residential qualification prescribed by the Act. Legislation would be necessary for this purpose. Without any regulation these men can avail themselves of labour exchanges and distress committees, and their officers can afford them information as to vacant situations. I will address a communication to the central body on this subject.