§ 42. Mr. HAYDAYasked the Minister of Labour what amount of unemployment benefit was paid to women discharged from Government Departments in 1917 and 1918; and what, if any, facilities were available for such women at that time which were provided at the expense of the taxpayer and not by voluntary funds placed at the disposal of the Central Committee on Women's Training and Employment?
§ Sir M. BARLOWPrior to November, 3920, temporary Government employés, other than those in certain industrial establishments, did not come under the Unemployment Insurance scheme. Moreover, up to November, 1918, the war-time demand for labour was such that very little benefit was paid to those insured. At the end of November, 1918, the out-of-work donation scheme came into operation, and applied to civilian workers up to November, 1919, but it is not possible to say how much donation was paid to women discharged from Government Departments. So far as I am aware the State did not, prior to 1919, provide facilities for training women.
§ 52. Mr. ALLEN PARKINSONasked the Minister of Labour whether the amount of unemployment benefit and facilities of training for professional careers for temporary women clerks demobilised from the Civil Service since 1921 has been greater or less than those provided for similar women demobilised in 1917 and 1918?
§ Sir M. BARLOWTemporary women clerks discharged from Government service have since 1920 been entitled to unemployment benefit in proportion to contributions paid, and may also be granted uncovenanted benefit. Previously 451 they were not insured against unemployment, and the only provision of this kind made for them was the out-of-work donation scheme, which applied to all civilian workers from November, 1918, to November, 1919. So far as I am aware the State did not provide facilities for training women prior to 1919.