29. Mr. DOYLEasked the Minister of Labour if his attention has been called to the fact that the hours from 9a.m. to 4p.m., during which recipients of the unemployment benefit must sign the daily register at the Labour Exchanges near where they reside, seriously interferes with the opportunities of bond fide workers who are desirous to obtain work, debarring them from looking for it during the most suitable hours; and whether he will consider the advisability of altering the hours from 7 to 12 or 1?
§ Sir R. HORNEI recognise that attendance during the hours mentioned may to some extent limit the efforts that applicants can make to obtain employment on their own behalf, but the hours in question were deliberately fixed so as to fall within the normal hours of work, and thus make it difficult for a workman to make a claim at the Exchange on days when he is in fact at work. I regret that I am unable to vary the existing arrangement, which, so far as unemployment benefit is concerned, has worked satisfactorily for the last seven years.