§ 91. Mr. HAYDAYasked the Minister of Labour if his attention has been drawn to the case of Thomas Phillips, 92, Cambridge Street, Stafford, an ex-service man, who had obtained a job on a new pipe-track started by the Stafford Corporation and, on making application to the Local Exchange, was refused the necessary card to enable him to start work; that this man obtained another job with Messrs. Sandy and Company, another relief scheme, and again the Exchange withheld his card; and whether, in view of the fact that this ex-service man has a widowed mother to support, fulfilled the necessary qualifications, was genuinely unemployed, and of his persistent efforts to obtain work, he will have inquiries made as to the reason for this action on the part of the Local Exchange?
§ The MINISTER of LABOUR (Dr. Macnamara)It is necessary for the Exchange, in selecting men for relief work to have regard to the relevant circumstances of each applicant for the work, including the registered period of unemployment and the number of dependants. On the occasions in question, the number of applicants with prior claims to consideration was more than sufficient to fill the vacancies notified and I regret that it was, therefore, not possible for the Employment Exchange to submit the applicant in question.