§ 36. Lieut.-Colonel CROFTasked the Minister of Labour whether his attention has been called to the fact that a female domestic servant was engaged by an inhabitant in Bournemouth a week ago at a salary of £62 a year, all found, and the said domestic informed the person who had employed her on the 17th instant that she did not require a post now because unemployed benefits were being renewed for another 15 weeks; and whether he will take steps to prevent any person who is offered a living wage from receiving unemployed donation and thus adding to the national indebtedness and aggravating the general financial and economic difficulties of the country?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAMy hon. and gallant Friend has sent me a letter containing the statement made in the first part of the question, and I am having inquiry made. I may say, however, that had the circumstances stated in the question been reported to the Employment Exchange, unemployment benefit, if it was being paid, would at once have been suspended pending verification of the facts. I should add that private domestic service is not an insured occupation, and women who cannot show that they have been employed in some other occupation which is insured would not be entitled to unemployment benefit in any event. As regards the last part of the question, I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to Section 7 of the Unem- 911 ployment Insurance Act, 1920, which defines the conditions for receipt of unemployment benefit. I am sending him a copy.
§ Lieut.-Colonel CROFTIn view of the grave financial condition of the country and the burden on the taxpayer, will the right hon. Gentleman give an undertaking that no man and no woman shall receive unemployment donation in this country if they are offered a fair living wage in any industry whatever?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAMy hon. and gallant Friend should read Section 7 of the main Act—"Statutory conditions for the receipt of unemployment benefit"—and he would there see the precautions which are taken to provide against the improper payment of benefit.
§ Lieut.-Colonel CROFTI asked if a man or woman offered a fair living wage will be denied the generosity of the State in the matter of unemployment donation?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAI have already referred my hon. and gallant Friend to Section 7 of the main Act, Sub-section (1), which does deal with the question of the circumstances under which a person can refuse a job without foregoing benefit.
§ Colonel GREIGWill my right hon. Friend state by whom the decision has to be applied?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAThe question at issue would be referred to the insurance officer, then to the court of referees, and finally to the umpire.
§ 40. Sir W. DAVISONasked the Minister of Labour what is the number of unemployed women registered at labour exchanges; what proportion of this number are in receipt of unemployment pay; and whether it is a fact that large numbers of these women could obtain employment in domestic service, but refuse this form of employment?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAAt 11th February, the latest date for which figures are available, the number of women on the live register of employment exchanges was 295,528, of whom about 259,000 were claiming insurance benefit or out-of-work donation. In addition, 353,371 women had lodged claims for insurance benefit 912 or out-of-work donation in respect of short-time working.
In spite of the undoubted shortage of domestic servants, it is doubtful whether any considerable number of the women drawing benefit or donation would be accepted by employers as domestic servants. The great majority are skilled or unskilled workers who have followed industrial employment, and whose services will be required in their own trades on a return to normal conditions. Payment of unemployment benefit or of out-of-work donation is, of course, conditional on the person not having refused an offer of suitable employment.