§ 29. Mr. EDMONDSasked the Minister of Labour if he will promote further co-operation between the Employment Exchanges and the guardians by giving instructions for records to be kept of the grounds upon which applicants for unemployed benefit are refused, these records to be available for the use of guardians?
§ Mr. BETTERTONArrangements of this kind are already in operation. In the case of applicants for outdoor relief Poor Law authorities are informed, on request, as to the reason why un-covenanted benefit was disallowed, and they can obtain similar information regarding covenanted benefit in cases where the ground of disallowance is the applicant's failure to prove that he is genuinely seeking whole-time employment.
§ 32. Mr. SNELLasked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that when boards of guardians in the Metropolitan area inquire from Employment Exchanges of the Ministry of Labour for information in relation to cases applying for relief on account of unemployment they are frequently informed that relief has been refused because the applicant 1456 is not genuinely seeking work; that they find that the applicant himself has not been informed of this at the time that the decision is arrived at by the Unemployment Exchange Committee, and that difficulties arise because no record is kept at the Exchange of the facts upon which the decision is based; and whether he will give instructions for records to be kept of the grounds upon which applications for unemployment benefit are refused?
§ Mr. BETTERTONThe instructions are that each applicant should be informed of the decision on his claim, and I should be glad to have particulars of any case in which it is alleged that this procedure is not carried out. Records of the grounds for the decision are kept as far as practicable, but in so far as the decision is based on the answers given by the applicant at an interview with the Committee, it is not always possible to keep a complete record.