§ 71. Mr. W. THORNEasked the President of the Board of Trade if associations having an arrangement with the Board of Trade under Section 105 of the National Insurance Act obtain receipts for unemployment benefit paid to members each week on a Form U.I. 75, and that the forms in question are forwarded for checking purposes to the Labour Exchange authorities for ultimate consignment to the headquarters or branch of the respective associations; if in the case of more than one association not a single form has yet been returned by the Labour Exchange central office; and, seeing that in some cases associations have no other receipts for the moneys paid except on the U.I. 75 forms, and that the failure of the central Labour Exchange authorities to return the forms is causing apprehension and inconvenience to associations, he will take action to ensure that the forms which are found to be in order are immediately returned?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the BOARD of TRADE (Mr. J. M. Robertson)I do not think that all the statements in the question are quite accurate, and I hardly see why apprehension or inconvenience should necessarily be caused to associations by the present practice under which the forms referred to are retained in the Department until the whole of the forms relating to the quarter have been checked and found in order. As my hon. Friend is aware, large payments on account are made to the associations in the meantime. I may, however, say that the Board of Trade have for some time had under consideration a modification in this particular form which I hope will very considerably simplify the work both of the Department and of the secretaries of associations, and will incidentally remove any difficulties of the kind which my hon. Friend has in mind.