§ 33. Mr. BROMFIELDasked the Minister of Labour whether, in view of the fact that trade unions are finding it practically impossible to administer the Government unemployment dole owing to the delay in recovering sums disbursed to their members on behalf of the Government from the Department concerned, and that the General Union of Textile Workers in particular have ceased to administer the benefit on account of the large sums outstanding against the Government Department, he can take any steps to prevent delay in future?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAThere have been certain delays in the repayments to trade unions of State benefit paid out by the unions under Section 17 of the Unemployment Insurance Act. In certain cases, these delays have been due to the fault of the Department, and have been occasioned mainly by the very heavy pressure of new claims to benefit. Energetic steps have been taken to eliminate delays arising from this cause. In other cases, however, the delays have been due to the default of the trade unions themselves in not completing the claims for repayment. As regards the particular case of the General Union of Textile Workers, I am aware that the arrangement has been suspended; but so far as I know the question of repayment to the union was not the principal reason for the suspension.