§ 32. Mr. GILBERTasked the Minister of Labour the number of Employment Exchanges maintained by his Department in the County of London; the total staff which are employed at the same; and the approximate annual cost of these Exchanges to his Department?
§ Mr. SHAWThe number of Employment Exchanges in the London County Council area is 23, and on 16th June, 1924, the total number of persons employed was 994, including 54 persons engaged temporarily for emergency work. The annual cost of these Exchanges, almost the whole of which is paid out of the Unemployment Fund, is estimated at £236,900, excluding cost of premises and other charges not borne on the Ministry of Labour Vote.
§ Mr. GILBERT14 How many ex-service men are on the staffs?
§ 34. Miss JEWSONasked the Minister of Labour the number of claims of women to uncovenanted benefit which were disallowed by rota sub-committees last month; and whether he will grant the same right of appeal in the case of uncovenanted as in the case of covenanted benefits?
§ Mr. SHAWThe number of applications by women for uncovenanted benefit which were recommended for disallowance by local employment committees in Great Britain in the month ending 12th May, 1924, was 7,648. The rights of appeal to a Court of Referees and the Umpire are limited by the Acts to covenanted benefit. I do not think it would be appropriate to apply this procedure to uncovenanted benefit, and I may point out that in the case of uncovenanted benefit the decision rests with the Minister, acting on the recommendation of the local employment committee.
§ 35. Sir W. DAVISONasked the Minister of Labour how many married women whose husbands are in employment are in receipt of unemployment donation?
§ Mr. SHAWI regret that, without instituting a special inquiry, I am unable to give the information required.
§ Sir W. DAVISONCan the right hon. Gentleman say whether there are any married women receiving uncovenanted benefit?
§ Sir W. DAVISONIs it not very desirable that the right hon. Gentleman should know that in these days of financial stringency married women, whose husbands are working, should not receive uncovenanted benefit.
§ Mr. SHAWEvery person paying the same contribution is entitled to the same benefits, whether married or single.
§ Sir W. DAVISONIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that what I referred to was uncovenanted benefit—that is, that married women should not receive the benefit who have not paid any contributions?
§ Mr. SHAWNo married woman can get any benefit under any conditions 418 where that benefit is not paid to other persons under exactly the same conditions.